


Son of Mine

by multi_fan_writing



Series: MFW's Dream SMP Universe [1]
Category: Dream Team - Fandom, Minecraft (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Adopted Children, Alternate Universe - Dream Team SMP Setting (Video Blogging RPF), AroAce Spec Bad?, Blaze Hybrid Sapnap (Video Blogging RPF), Crystal Skeppy, Demon Lore (because backstory), Family Fluff, Found Family, Growing Up, Light Angst, Minor Karl Jacobs/Sapnap, Platonic Soulmates, Skeppy and Bad's friendship, Takes place before the Main Story, The Nether (Minecraft), a self indulgent fic because Bad is my favorite, dadboyhalo, so minor it doesn't even show up until the last chapter
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-22
Updated: 2021-03-08
Packaged: 2021-03-19 05:34:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 25,404
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29621385
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/multi_fan_writing/pseuds/multi_fan_writing
Summary: It didn't look like anything like... anything Bad had ever seen. The closest maybe was a piglin farrow, but even piglins didn't have the strange black fuzz on top of their head that his creature did, and the nose was too small. It was so tiny in his arms, Bad now towering at a good 9'2, well above the average height for a demon even of adult age, and the thing in his arms not any bigger than 2ft."Hey, buddy," Bad whispered, the thing in his arms quieting down further. Good, that meant it understood him at least somewhat. "It's okay, I'm here, you don't have to be scared."The thing's eyes cracked open slightly, and Bad's breath caught in his throat.[ Alternatively, the fanfiction in where Bad finds Sapnap abandoned in the Nether and decides to adopt him on a whim. ]
Relationships: Darryl Noveschosch & Sapnap, Darryl Noveschosch & Zak Ahmed, No Romantic Relationship(s)
Series: MFW's Dream SMP Universe [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2205411
Comments: 26
Kudos: 353





	1. In the Heat and Depths of Time

**Author's Note:**

> The only minor shipping that will be in this fic is Sapnap and Karl in the last chapter because of their romantic relationship in the SMP, any other relationships are purely friendships or familial.
> 
> Everyone featured in this fic has established they are okay with fanfiction and being written in fanfiction, but if this at any point changes I will take this down or remove the person from this fic! 
> 
> Bad has stated he doesn't read fanfictions, so even if this gets popular (which I doubt) please don't send this to him or Skeppy!

A long, long time ago, before any of his new friends were born, Bad lived out his days in the Nether. This was so long ago that other demons still walked around and he wasn't alone. It was long ago enough that Bad was still considered a child by demon standards. 

Demons didn't have parents, per se, but they looked out for one another. Bad was taken care of more than most his age, as he was much more softhearted than them. He would hide out in the thickets of the warped fungus and crimson trees, feeding hoglin shoats sprouts rather than play fight with the other children. He found trying to grapple up the sides of tall cliffs and taking note of strange structures he could see in the distance more fun than trying to hop on striders only to get bucked off repeatedly. Bad wasn't cowardly, but he found it silly to partake in the weird games his peers did, instead hoping for the days he could travel across the lakes of lava, away from the forests he grew up in, and towards the wastes and valleys. 

For years he lived with the pack of demons he called family, the only person he told of his wild fantasies being his diary made of strange hide and sheets from another world. His fantasies, his dreams to find new, unexplored land, all of it went scribbled down in his tiny book, right next to his drawings of fungus and vines. He wanted to document all of it, every little piece of his home. Some of the demons around his age found it weird, and they mocked him for his interest in what they considered boring. But what could be boring about their home, Bad reasoned as he stared up at the glowing ceilings and bubbling floors surrounding their island. What was boring about the beautiful beaches and marsh that made up _his_ world? 

The ones who found it boring- found _him_ boring -seemed much more fascinated by what the older demons called the surface. Talks of skies that changed color constantly, with thick blobs floating across the air, seemed to be all anyone could think about. Bonds lay upon the surface, made between coarse floors and open land full of color and new opportunities. His demon peers buzzed at the mere idea of it, talking and sharing secrets of who they hoped their bonds would end up being. 

Bad couldn't find it in himself to care, though. Maybe "not caring" wasn't the correct phrasing, however. It was more that Bad was afraid of bonding, compared to his excitable peers. Everyone knew that once a bond was formed, the ever immortal demon would be tied to mortality in a sudden grip. It sounded so thrilling to his pack, especially the youngest of them, sharing your life with someone for eternity with no escape. To Bad, however, it sounded like making a sacrifice he would never be willing to comply with, a heady commitment that was full of more downsides than upsides. Bonds weren't fate, they were a choice completely reliant on picking the person you believed was yours, who was your other half, and Bad felt sick at the thought of it. 

His interest in the exploration of his home, his disinterest with bonds, and his inherent softhearted nature all culminated into making him what he would consider the black sheep of his pack. No one attempted to befriend him, and even the elder demons who cared for him found him strange. Bad was reclusive back then, even when surrounded by his own kind.

* * *

Still a long time ago, a decade or so went by. Bad aged with the clan, watching as all of the older demons left for the surface through a strange purple and hissing portal that lay atop of the highest cliff in the forest he had grown up in. His peers grew more restless as time went by, itching to join their kin, and Bad was just as restless, albeit for an entirely different reason. 

To explore. 

He was still young, still a child, but he was on his way to becoming a teenager. All there was to do was to wait for the peak and he would be able to try his hand at really taming a strider so he could leave the island for the blue fires in the distance. Once the peak hit for any one of his peers it was evident in the way they would scramble for the portal in a matter of days, disappearing through it just like the rest of his pack.

Time was everflowing, practically meaningless except for the expectations weighed upon it. So, Bad waited, scrounging for fungus to make a stew out of and cutting vines down away from trees to make baskets and buckets out of, the same as always. After a decade his first book was full of dust, everything to be documented about his home written down save for the portal perched on top of the hill. He waited, his clawed fingers itching for a saddle whenever he spotted a strider lazily grazing on the shores of the forests. After a decade he had grown quite a bit, still short for a demon and standing at only 5'10 for a demon child; Bad hoped he'd hit his growth spurt as he grew into a teenager. He waited, biding his time.

One by one, his peers around him left him behind, none bothering to stray when they hit their peak. One by one they went, slipping through the flowing and hissing portal, the number of people cheering their exit onward growing fewer in number as more demons left the Nether for good. Eventually, he was one of the few left who hadn't hit their peak, numbers dwindling from 5 demons to 3, to 2, until it was just him left on the bank of the warped forests and crimson trees. Still, he waited, building himself his own nest to sit in by the lava lakes. Just because he was alone didn't mean he would betray tradition.

He waited.

Bad waited for another decade by himself.

* * *

Still a long time ago, but now not quite as long ago, Bad finally hit his peak after two decades total, half of which was spent alone. He didn't scramble, didn't scream or cheer, patience instilled in his very core by now. He left his tangled nest and made his way for the lake. His bags had been packed for eons, laying on the bank for him to scoop up with nimble fingers. Donning his favorite cape and hood, tens of books he made by hand tucked in his bags, and shoes in hand, Bad dipped his feet into the lava in front of him. 

The scorching heat made him inhale sharply, but he ignored it to push through the shallow wades towards a sleeping strider. He was up to his knees by the time he reached the sleeping beast, movements gentle as he carefully unraveled the weeping saddle he handcrafted and tucked into one of his bags. He hooked the kind beast up to his saddle, sure not to awaken it for fear of harming it. Once the saddle was fastened safely, Bad carefully clambered atop the sleeping monster, petting it when it made a noise of discomfort to soothe it. 

"Its okay, buddy," Bad murmured, watching in satisfaction as the tense Strider unraveled under his purred words. "Sleep for as long as you need."

* * *

A long time ago, Bad traveled across the lava lakes he looked across all his life once the strider awoke. 

Bad made it to shore within a day, rewarding the beast he had ridden with roots of all kinds and removing the saddle from it before he began to explore the sandy land he had finally reached after a lifetime of dreaming.

Sleep could wait, time and the portal and bonds could wait. Bad was fulfilling his dream.

* * *

It was only by the time that Bad was nearing the age of becoming an adult that he had finished exploring almost the entirety of his home. He found strange occurrences all over; portals like the one from his home but torn apart and looted of supplies, piglin and brute castles that were kind enough to let him stay inside during particularly ashy rainfalls, and bone structures large enough to have belonged to monsters at least 20ft tall, just to name a few. 

The one thing he had yet to explore had been one of the rarer structures scattered across the entirety of the Nether. He had only seen one before, closer to the beginning of his journey, and he had gotten severely injured trying to navigate it. He hadn't realized how dangerous it would end up being, and after a few accidents where he offended the beasts inside Bad was reluctant to return. Well, up until now, that was, where he stood at the very base of one of the long oblong towers stretching upwards towards the sky of the Nether. 

A fortress, made of carved bricks and fence. 

Having spent so long exploring the Nether, Bad heard many stories from the piglins. The fortresses used to be the original homes of the piglins, before being overtaken by zombified creatures born from disease and overpopulation. Now it became a refuge for blazes and wither skeletons whose original homes were destroyed; the soul lands previously covered in constant roaring fires but now made cold and the souls of once-thriving embers stuck in the sands, and a completely forgotten biome ruled by the Wither gods cared for by the skeletons swept away with time. The first time Bad had entered a fortress he hadn't known these things, but now he was decades older and much wiser.

Bad took a deep breath, taking in the fresh smog of the wastes. He double-checked to make sure all of his items were securely strapped to his body before he dug his nails into the crumbling brick of the tower before him and began to scale upwards. He would occasionally stop on a window ledge, boarded off by fence laces, to perch on and take a break, and eventually after a long, slow crawl upwards he reached the entrance to the broken-off spire and rolled inside the fortress. 

A wave of relief fell over him when he wasn't immediately ambushed, and he stood with a bounce, excitement swelling inside him. Without even waiting for another beat he dug out his final journal from his bag, the others filled to the brim with notes and corrections over the years and signed off with his name. He was only a few pages away from completing the book clutched in his hands now, a grin stretching his lips at the idea of signing off his creation one final time. 

Eagerly he explored the fortress to the best of his ability, reaching several dead ends and strange rooms over time. He found a nether wart farm, chittering a conversation with a very scanty magma cube before packing some of the warts away into his satchel and replanting as much as he could. Moving on, he was able to scope out a few wither skeletons, keeping his distance as he took notes on their behavior and sketched out the basic shape of them. Over time exploring, however, he ended up noticing something strange.

For the third time that day, he stumbled upon a blaze spawner. 

Spawners were there to incubate the children of a multitude of creatures, such as blazes, demons, or piglins, and spawners were different depending on the monster they incubated. Blaze Spawners were something fascinating in their own right, an ashy cage filled to the brim with fire and basalt to hold blaze eggs. This one, just like the other two Bad had stumbled upon, was filled with shiny golden shells that were being licked by the everpresent flames surrounding them, spots glittering when the fire brushed against them. 

A spawner being in the fortress in of itself wasn't strange, as it was the new home of blazes and therefore would have the incubator needed to keep the species alive. However, for it to be unguarded was severely worrying. The main reason Bad thinks he had time to document what the blaze spawner was and what it looked like was because of this very fact, yet the more spawners he stumbled upon the more concerned he grew. Eggs were precious to any creature, but especially those without true homes like blazes, so for every spawner for Bad to have seen so far to have been left alone for anyone to find and possibly destroy was nauseating.

Did something happen to the fire beasts?

Before Bad could overthink the possibilities, he heard wailing coming from down the hall. His ears twitched, flicking back as he tugged his hood down to better hear the noise as it echoed down the dark brick walls. Hastily, Bad stumbled his way down the steps leading up to the newest blaze spawner he had found, only needing to step into the middle of the 4-way before he heard the crackling of blaze fire. The hissing grew distressed, and the demon's feet flew as he spun left and dashed down another hallway, desperately searching for the noise. He could hear whimpering the closer he got to the loud popping noise of fire, heart leaping up into his throat as he ducked around corners this way and that. 

Something was wrong, Bad was sure of it now, but he couldn't tell what.

Louder, and louder still, the whines of a strange creature and the hissing of blazes grew, and another shriek pushed Bad into a full-on sprint. What was that horrible wailing, even more terrifying than a ghast scream? Why did the blazes sound terrified as they spun about wildly?

Finally, after what felt like eons of searching, Bad skidded to a stop inside of a well room, his chest aching with sharp pains as he gasped for air. There was lava bubbling in the center of the very cramped chamber, the entire area packed to the brim with blazes of all sizes, the only thing connecting them being the clear distress on their faces as they held their rods up defensively. Only, they weren't holding their rods up in Bad's direction, rather they were directed towards a very small and very pink-looking blob sitting near the edge of the well. 

Bad managed to catch his breath, hesitating for only a moment as the blob in the room cried even louder. He trudged forward, the blazes making way for him and hissing at him warningly, not in attack but in fear for his safety. He ignored them, despite his shaking hands, tucking away his book that had deep imprints of his nails now from when he had run over in a panic. He slung his bag behind him, feeling it bounce against his back as he reached the ledge and finally saw what was unswaddled before him.

A child of some kind, laying in a smoldering white blanket with a clock pin, all of its skin disgustingly flushed and face scrunched up in frustration. There were a few burns on its arms, no doubt from where the blazes had attempted to touch it possibly in hopes to help the creature but ended up hurting the poor thing. It didn't look completely torn apart by the fire, though, as Bad half expected, instead his burns looked more like light sores instead of blackened or broiled flesh, which was a relief. It was sensitive to fire, though, which meant it couldn't be a blaze or strider, at least not fully, and Bad shuddered at the thought of the poor thing being doused in flames like the eggs in the blaze spawners were. 

Quickly, he scooped the fleshy creature up, eyeing the lava it was plopped beside warily before bundling it back up in the blanket unceremoniously. The white fabric Bad had never seen before continued to smoke slightly, and the beast cradled in the demon's arms continued to sob and sniffle. It quieted down some, but it blubbered all the same. The blazes around him seemed to quiet down along with the creature, the entire area becoming less tense as Bad swallowed thickly.

Who would leave this thing in such a dangerous place as a fortress? It didn't look like anything like... anything Bad had ever seen. The closest maybe was a piglin farrow, but even piglins didn't have the strange black fuzz on top of their head that his creature did, and the nose was too small. It was so tiny in his arms, Bad now towering at a good 9'2, well above the average height for a demon even of adult age, and the thing in his arms not any bigger than 2ft.

"Hey, buddy," Bad whispered, the thing in his arms quieting down further. Good, that meant it understood him at least somewhat. "It's okay, I'm here, you don't have to be scared."

The thing's eyes cracked open slightly, and Bad's breath caught in his throat.

Black irises as dark as blackstone, white sclera purer than ghast hide, and glittering golden pupils all made for the most beautiful sight Bad had ever seen. The thing's eyes squeezed shut once more, however, and it grumbled, wiggling around in Bad's hands. Carefully, the demon cradled the thing to his chest, trying not to shake as he sank to his knees and used his body to shield the beast.

He wasn't quite sure what had hit him, but the thing, so small, so so small, made something inside him bloom, a guarded feeling he wished to nurture and grow. Whatever it was in his hands needed him, and it made a gurgling noise that solidified that feeling inside Bad all the more.

"Yeah, you're okay," The demon croaked, feeling oddly choked up as the blazes around him hissed louder and crowded around him nervously. Bad allowed himself to smile slightly, holding the swaddled creature all the closer. "I'll protect you, yeah? Lets get you somewhere safe."

* * *

Bad escaped the fortress with only some difficulty, not bothering to sketch out the silhouette of the structure with his entire focus being on the thing tucked in his arms. Getting down from the top of the fortress was the most difficult bit, having to balance the tiny beast in his arms while scaling down the tall behemoth of a tower he had gone up just a few hours ago. Once he had reached solid ground, however, it was smooth sailing; the creature once wailing now silent and dozing away in his comfortable cradle, gurgling every so often and trying to lean into the demon's chest as if getting more comfortable. 

Bad couldn't find it in himself to be upset that his book remained unfinished, a heavy weight in the bag still bouncing against his back as he trudged through the wastes of the Nether. Decades of work wouldn't be erased or forgotten, but somehow the swaddle in Bad's grasp felt much more important than his exploration ever did. Maybe because it was defenseless? Maybe it had cast a spell on him somehow? Whichever it was, Bad brushed it off and continued to his destination without pause or interruption.

The bright pink of the creature's flesh became a much softer and lighter pink over time, eventually becoming a neutral peachy-tone once Bad reached the large sand valley. It was still warm in his hands, of course, but it looked much healthier and less disgusting this way, something Bad was glad for. It gurgled less, too, now that it was calmer looking, and Bad could hear soft snores escaping its chubby cheeks and pursed lips as he steered clear of the soul sand to keep on the soil path he made on the way to the fortress. The demon could see the same light sores on the thing's arms on his cheeks as well, as if something had stung its skin when it cried.

In his examining of the creature, Bad almost hardly noticed when he reached the camp he had set up a few days prior, only looking up from the swaddled fabric when he stubbed his toe on bone and hissed. His camp was tucked underneath some of the large skeletal remains of creatures long extinct, and Bad had to duck his way under the ribs of the former beast to enter. 

With a relieved sigh, the demon plopped down on his rolled-out nest pushed against the base of one of the scapula bones. He looked down at the tiny thing in his arms again, an involuntary smile gracing his lips with ease as it buried itself further in the soft fabric of his shirt. 

"I see you're doing better," Bad hummed, not expecting an answer or getting one. He gently adjusted the blanket tucked around the beast, glad to find it no longer smoldering as well. Even though the thing was asleep, Bad couldn't help himself and continued to talk in the same coo he had done moments ago. 

"You like it when it's colder, huh?" The demon looked up at the misty haze surrounding the camp he had made. "Me too. I never liked the crimson forests as a kid. They always felt tighter, stuffier. The warped forest at home though... well, it's not as cold as here but it was as cold as it got back home."

Home.

Bad stared at the still snoozing creature. Was that where he was going to take this thing? His only plan had been to return to camp to see if he could communicate with the thing. So far only one of those things had been accomplished, but he wasn't sure if the beast would be able to communicate in the first place. It had understood him well enough, though, the first time he spoke to it. At least, he assumed it had understood him, maybe it just took the tone as the placating coo it was and didn't know what he had said? If this thing was a farrow or a child of some kind it would have to be taught to speak and communicate.

Bad sighed, loud and clear, his head tilting back to lightly thunk against the bone sitting behind him buried in the soil. He was the youngest of all the demons, he had no idea how to take care of a child. But he couldn't leave this thing to die, and god knows that piglins or blazes probably wouldn't be the best candidates for taking care of such a delicate and small thing.

Home it was.

The thing- no, the child gurgled again, breaking Bad from his thoughts so he could duck his head down to stare at the breathtaking eyes gazing up at him. His throat felt thick, and the demon swallowed down the sudden wave of empathy clogging up his chest. The child didn't seem to notice, a bright smile breaking out on its face as it made a noise that sounded almost like a gentle squeal, wiggling around a bit before its tiny hands pulled out of its swaddle and reached up towards the demon.

Bad smiled, shifting to hold the small creature with one hand as the other one came up to brush against the child's arms. The beast latched on instantly, thick fingers grabbing a hold of the gloves covering Bad's arms and tugging with another delighted squeal.

"Hey, buddy," The demon murmured, watching as the child tilted its head with slight amazement at the noises Bad made. Bad couldn't help but chuckle, keeping his voice soft. "How do you feel about living with me for a while?"

Or forever?

Either way, the child's face somehow brightened further and it yanked around Bad's hand happily while wiggling.

The demon took that as an enthusiastic "yes".

* * *

It took much longer than Bad remembered to get back home, at least a year going by before they reached the place once filled with the demon clan Bad had called family. It was much more overgrown than he remembered, a decade going by in the blink of an eye and tearing apart whatever structures the demons had built. The only thing still intact was the ever-flowing and glowing portal he remembered on the hill. It looked unchanged by time as if it had waited for his return. 

In a year the tiny creature Bad had first found had changed immensely, compared to the slow tides of time demons took. It was still only able to babble, but it could now crawl around if Bad wasn't careful to keep an eye on it, and it tended to chew on anything it could find. Through this, at least, Bad was able to figure out what was safe for the child to eat and what wasn't, its body very picky about the food it consumed. Stews were best, as well as mashed-up foods considering it was only just beginning to grow teeth (nothing as sharp as demons, though). Its hair (he was surprised to find that demons and this creature shared that feature) had grown, still quite short but now much more than a mere layer of fuzz atop the child's head. The final change was its body, the creature having grown from less than 2ft to almost 3ft in less time than it took Bad to grow an inch much less over a foot. Bad couldn't help but wonder if the child would outgrow him somehow.

The tiny blanket and clock pin was always clutched in the child's grip, even as Bad went around clearing up the island of danger and doing his best to make the old shelters presentable to the small beast. He built fences to keep the crimson forest from encroaching, Bad having found out early on that piglins and hoglins were very territorial of anything they perceived to be another clan including whatever creature his child was. Even after clearing the area of vines and large fungi Bad still kept his eye on the child for fear of the other creatures finding it and trying to attack it.

For the next week they stayed in the warped forest no such threats occurred.

* * *

Bad sighed as he stared up at the glowstone covered skies, the glittering gold seeming weathered by all the time he had spent away from home. So many things had changed in what felt like so little time.

He was only broken from his staring and daze when he felt something plop in his lap. Jolting, the demon looked down, shoulders slumping in relief at the sight of the child he had grown to know laying spread across his legs and smiling up at him with a big toothy grin. Somehow, it felt as if the creature always knew when Bad was getting too caught up in his head. 

Carefully, the demon reached down, rubbing his finger across one of the thing's chubby cheeks with a hum. "You're so grubby," Bad chided, nearly rolling his eyes as the child's grin grew wider. He huffed, reaching up to lick his thumb before going back to rubbing the poor thing's face. "Did you go rolling around in the nylium again? I told you you'd get dirty doing that."

Despite his scolding, the tiny beast didn't seem affected at all, a giggle and gurgle escaping him as he swatted at Bad's fingers. Bad was unable to stop the grin that crossed his lips as he rubbed a little bit harder until he was sure the grime on the child's face was gone, ignoring his wiggling. "You're so difficult sometimes, buddy," The demon scoffed. "I don't know why you enjoy being so silly."

He didn't mean it, though. Somewhere, deep down, Bad enjoyed the free and wild spirit of the creature, his recklessness being reigned in just enough to be cute. Bad was a worrywart, sure, but he understood the need for play, the creature in front of him more energetic than any of the demon children Bad remembered watching. Aether above, who knows how the child would act if it was cooped up all day and it had nowhere to crawl or climb.

"Ba'!" The child squealed, causing Bad to freeze, eyes widening as he stared down at the squirming beast. "Ba'd! Ba'd!"

As if a fire was lit inside him, Bad warmed all over, his chest aching with a heavy affection for the creature in his lap. That was his name, the child knew his name.

"Yeah, thats... thats me, buddy," Bad managed to choke out, trying to ignore the sting coming to his eyes as he scooped the child up the slightest bit. It giggled and clutched onto its blanket with glee, the sight making Bad's shoulders shake with pure joy as he struggled not to sob. "You're really smart, huh?" He cooed, a smile growing as the babbling child continued to repeat his name happily. It wasn't even a lie, it would take a demon at least a decade to start learning speech, and somehow the child before him was grappling with the concept in less than a year.

"My smart kid, so smart," Bad repeated in a mumble, hefting the creature up a bit more to lean down and bury his face in the side of the small child's head. It was then it struck him, that the demon had missed out on a crucial detail of the child before him.

Did the creature have a name?

"Kid," Bad murmured, hearing a gurgle in response to show him that the child was listening. The demon pulled himself up to stare at the sparkling eyes of the creature still perched in his lap. Bad raised a shaky hand to gently pet the top of the beast's head, a sigh escaping him as it gurgled again in delight with the attention. "You want a name too? Something for me to call you?" 

The child seemed confused for all of a few seconds, Bad feeling his nerves well up inside of him for only a moment before the little thing squealed and gave him a toothy grin. Relief, pride, affection, all of it continued to swirl around inside Bad as he stared at the creature he cared for so deeply.

"Okay, okay, lets work on getting you a name then, huh?"

"Y'ah!"


	2. In the Heart of Home and History

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Bad?" A tiny voice managed to call out to the demon, breaking him of his frantic thoughts once again. Bad spun, seeing scraps of white fabric poking out from behind a tall pile of nylium and feeling as if the air was sucked out of his lungs. 
> 
> "Bad?" The voice called again, squeaky as Sapnap dragged himself out from behind the grubby turquoise mounds. Bad didn't say anything as he locked eyes with the boy, golden pupils dragging him in without asking and the demon found himself kneeling in front of the other in seconds. 

Less than 2 decades ago Bad had celebrated the 3 years he had taken care of the child he had named Sapnap. The creature was able to babble out more words than just his broken name, its hair longer still, and now it could even walk, stumbling around after Bad if he ever dared to walk around the island without it. It would fall on occasion, but never cried or complained, instead getting right back up to keep trailing after Bad and tug on his tail. Bad would walk slower now because Sapnap was always following him, but it was worth taking longer to get around just to have the child, his child, by his side.

Another year, so many changes. It was almost unbelievable how fast the creature grew, how fast it learned and understood things that took many demons eons to truly grasp. Prideful was the only way Bad could describe how he felt. Sapnap was his joy, so bright and unrelenting even on the slower days they spent together. The pride Bad felt caused his chest to ache, eyes burning with the idea that one day he would be able to show his child to the other demons. They would surely think it was weird for him to care for Sapnap, no doubts about it, demons didn't have families like the piglins or magma slimes, but Bad didn't care if it wasn't natural. Sapnap was worth the possible stares he would receive when they went to the surface.

If they went to the surface.

Bad was stopped from dwelling on the thought any longer, but not for anything good. The scream that pierced his ears sent him reeling, memories of when he first found Sapnap curled up and shaking in its smoldering blanket causing his throat to close up as Bad choked on smoggy air. The demon dropped the warts in his hands he had been collecting from a little garden he set up a year ago, standing frantically and spinning around wildly to look for the mop of black hair he had grown to adore with time. Suddenly, any preparations he had been making for the third year shared between Bad and his child felt unneeded, the adult's entire focus now on the shrieks he heard in the distance. 

Bad scrambled, nearly tripping over his vine baskets in his haste to fling open the fence gates separating his garden from the rest of the isle. He was out the instant the latch clicked, not bothering to close the doors as he sprinted towards the cries for help. There was no one else it could be; the ghast-like screaming deeper than it was 3 years ago but still as distinct as ever. Where was Sapnap?

Bad searched desperately, ducking under too short trees and tearing his way through vines as Sapnap continued to sob. It was when the hiccuping and sniffling stopped that Bad stopped dead in his tracks. Panicked, he looked around with no sight of Sapnap, his heart pounding against his ribs so hard they hurt. No, no not now, why now? He needed to help him, his son-

"Bad?" A tiny voice managed to call out to the demon, breaking him of his frantic thoughts once again. Bad spun, seeing scraps of white fabric poking out from behind a tall pile of nylium and feeling as if the air was sucked out of his lungs. "Bad?" The voice called again, squeaky as Sapnap dragged himself out from behind the grubby turquoise mounds. Bad didn't say anything as he locked eyes with the boy, golden pupils dragging him in without asking and the demon found himself kneeling in front of the other in seconds. 

"What happened? What happened?" Bad pleaded frantically, his hands gentle as they touched and poked at the child before him. When the tall male noticed wet tracks stinging against Sapnap's cheeks he quickly brushed away the hot liquid left over, not wanting to see the sores that would be left behind if they continued to burn his face. "You were screaming, are you hurt?"

Sapnap hesitated for only a moment, nodding his head jerkily. Bad didn't even have to ask before Sapnap was pulling one of his tiny arms out of the blanket curled around his shoulders, turning it to show the inside of his forearm. A large, pulsing burn was spread across his skin, angry and bubbling. Bad nearly gagged, having to swallow down his own sobs as he shakily clasped Sapnap's wrist and the boy hiccuped again. He didn't dare drag his fingers across the skin, Bad's mind spinning as he tried to remember what was used to heal burn wounds. 

"I was playing," Sapnap admitted, catching Bad's attention and causing him to glance up at the tiny creature's face. His black hair was matted to his forehead, eyebrows furrowed and teeth gnawing insistently at his lower lip. Bad wasn't sure how he missed it before, but he was covered in patches of soot as well, something that nagged at Bad fiercely. Fire, that was the only thing that could have caused all of this, but how did Sapnap get near the fire when they were so far from the pools of lava? "I... I... put arms in hot... it hurt." The words were spat, as if Sapnap was angry. Bad hummed placatingly, eyes glancing around wearyingly for the fire. He found none.

"You put your arms in?" Bad questioned gently, and when he looked back to Sapnap he found him jerkily nodding once more. The demon held back a sigh, instead taking a deep and shaky breath as he nodded in time with his son. "Why did you do that?" He asked gently, watching as the boy in front of him tensed rapidly as if scared by the question. Bad grew increasingly more worried as Sapnap's mouth stayed firmly shut, refusing to answer. After a few minutes of Bad looking over the steadily cooling burn and the boy before him, he gave up waiting. The demon avoided pushing the subject, carefully letting go of Sapnap before scooping him up into his arms. Sapnap didn't wiggle, instead slumping as he was picked up before latching onto the front of Bad's shirt. 

"Well, it's good you didn't keep your arms in there for long," Bad cooed, trying to comfort the boy but being taken aback as Sapnap thrashed. It was only when Sapnap looked up at him, that the demon realized he had been shaking his head. The child's wide eyes burned wildly, pupils looking as if they were glowing when Sapnap made a noise of discontent.

"No! I did keep there!" He said brokenly, causing Bad to freeze entirely.

How? That was his only thought for a good few minutes before he hummed to make sure Sapnap understood he had heard him and forced himself to smile, unsure how to respond. Sapnap was so delicate that even putting him near lava caused him to swelter, making it impossible to wash him, how could he stick his arms in flames and only come out mildly scathed? Bad forced his legs, which felt heavier than lead, to move, stumbling one foot at a time back to camp as he continued to cradle his son in his arms. Sapnap seemed to take this as acceptance of his words, slumping back into Bad once more and burying his face into his shoulder.

Bad swallowed down the urge to ask anything more for the rest of the walk home.

* * *

Bad carefully set Sapnap down on one of the vine nests inside of their home made of warped bark and crimson roots. Silence filled the tiny, makeshift space they had even as Bad gathered up some nether wart and searched the bloody red chests in the corner of their home. He pushed his way through books he dropped inside carelessly years ago, old clothes, and whatever else lay inside before he breathed a sigh of relief as he managed to dig out one teardrop-shaped crystal. 

A ghast tear, one of the few their clan had for healing. 

Bad made do with the few items he had, smashing the crystal to bits inside of a bowl before adding wart and crushing the two together with a spoon. It took several minutes before he had a glittering paste, and Bad sat down beside Sapnap once he was sure it was safe to consume the mixture. The boy had been quiet the whole time, staring absentmindedly at the wall and scratching at the inside of his elbow. Bad's sigh, however, caught his attention, and Sapnap looked up with his big eyes and pouting lips the demon adored. Bad couldn't help but smile, handing over the bowl and watching as the boy's face twisted into confusion as he poked at the paste with the spoon used to mash the ingredients together just a few minutes ago.

"Eat up," Bad encouraged, head tilting slightly as Sapnap did so without asking why. Once he shoved the first spoonful of paste into his mouth, his eyes grew somehow wider, a noise of surprise slipping past his lips. Bad had to hold back a laugh as Sapnap then continued to shovel the mixture into his mouth, gently resting a hand on his back as he grinned. "Slow down, Sap, you'll choke if you eat it all too quick!" 

Sapnap groaned, almost as if upset, but listened anyway. He slowed down, taking the time to chew and swallow before grabbing another spoonful of paste. It still wasn't long before he was done and the bowl was scraped clean. Bad lightly rubbed Sapnap's back as the boy rubbed at his grubby face to clean it of any residual food, humming in time with Sapnap once he was finished. Without a word, Bad gently reached for Sapnap's wrist with his free hand, tapping the inside of it before turning his arm over to stare at his inner forearm. The edges of the burn were already fading, slowly going from a still broiled red to a gentle pink with time.

"That was a healing concoction the demons elders would make for me or the others if we got hurt," Bad explained as Sapnap babbled quietly and poked at the changing patches of skin with only a slight wince. Bad smiled, remembering the faces of the few that took care of him for some time. "It'll take a bit to fully heal up, but its already beginning to work as you can tell. Its because ghast tears have some healing properties to protect ghasts, and the wart is used to enhance those abilities into being useful for creatures like us." 

Even as he explained it, Bad could tell to a certain extent that Sapnap wasn't listening, and he was more so filling the dead air with space to pass the time. Bad released the boy's wrist, both hands falling into his lap as he hummed again, staring out of the front of their wooden fort to look out at the lakes of lava. Sapnap's arms fell too, mirroring him, and the two of them sat in silence for a while until the creaking, tiny voice of his son made Bad glance back to the boy beside him.

"Bad?" 

The demon couldn't stop himself from smiling, scooting closer to the child. "What is it, buddy? You hungry?"

"I love you." 

Bad paused, smile slipping from his face momentarily in shock. Sapnap's head tilted up so he was staring at the taller male, a bright grin on his face as he smushed one of his cheeks into Bad's arm. "I love you!" He said again, louder and more firmly with a giggle to punctuate it. Bad nearly choked on the fire that was set ablaze in his chest, warmth spreading out through his shoulders and neck as he gently cupped the side of Sapnap's face not pressed against him.

Bad beamed, unable to stop the chuckles that escaped him as Sapnap continued to wiggle and laugh. 

"I love you too, Sapnap."

* * *

15 years ago and a year had passed since the first of many injuries to come, Sapnap's arm fully healed and his body still changing as he grew fast. Bad had watched as his hair tumbled down from his ears to his jaw, now only inches above his shoulders, even with the trims every few months. He watched as Sapnap grew more stable on two feet, now able to trot everywhere on his own with only knots in the ground to trip him up as he ran around. He watched as Sapnap began to start helping him cook with grubby fingers, dress himself with only minor struggle, and pin the clock pin he adored to his blanket every day before tying the white sheet around himself like a cape. 

The clock pin was the one thing Bad never touched, with Sapnap's hands always holding onto it in some fashion. He fiddled with it when nervous or thinking, staring out at the lava lakes with furrowed brows. He nibbled on it when hungry and trying to focus, never biting down to create marks but more to distract himself. He ran his fingers over the details as if memorizing everything about them, although Bad was never sure why.

Sapnap was able to talk more fluently, holding the same excitement and need for exploring that Bad had when he was younger. He would run off some days and not be back before dinnertime, but even then never failed to tell Bad about everything he had seen or done. He was reckless, but never strayed outside the fences after a few months ago when he was nearly tossed into a lake by a hoglin shoat, and he was always hungry to learn something new. 

Because of this, it was difficult to keep him entertained, especially since he was so delicate. Bad was pushed to look for things to keep the boy occupied when he didn't want to go scrounge for supplies or find strange flora, but it wasn't a bad thing. In fact, Bad appreciated it in all honesty. It felt like a challenge, something he hadn't known he needed. It, along with Sapnap's hyperactivity in general, kept Bad busy, which meant he wasn't bored, and it meant that Bad didn't need to worry as much as he would if left to his own devices. Which was why today Bad finally gave up keeping Sapnap away from the wart and mushroom farms he had been taking care of.

Sapnap was hot on Bad's heels as he slowly padded his way to the gated away hovels for farming, despite Bad not needing to pace himself with how jittery his son looked to be. He looked more ready to sprint for the fences alone than to stay by his father's side, but didn't for a reason Bad wasn't quite sure of. The black-haired boy was bouncing on his heels even as he walked beside him, eyes practically glowing as he tugged happily on the pin he adored. 

"Are we almost there?" Sapnap asked for the umpteenth time since they left their shack, his gaze snapping up towards Bad and head craning up high. Despite growing so much, Sapnap only stood at just below Bad's mid-thigh, about as tall as a piglin child, and he was full of questions. Patience was something Bad had instilled in him, though, and he didn't mind answering every question that left Sapnap's lips with a smile. He answered even now, when the answer was obvious and the question had been asked before just a few minutes ago.

"Nope! Soon though, I promise," Bad said assuredly, lightly ruffling Sapnap's hair and relishing in the tiny boy's giggle as he pulled away. Sapnap was quick to shake his head wildly, inky locks rustling around into an even messier state than Bad had left it, but despite this fact, Sapnap beamed as proud as ever. It warmed the demon to his core to see his son so happy, and when he left his arms to dangle by his side he couldn't help but smile at the feeling of tiny, thick fingers gripping onto his hand and tugging. Bad tilted slightly, giving Sapnap more leeway, and nearly laughed when the fingers gripped tighter and the boy beside him then took the lead. He walked ahead as if he was guiding Bad and not the other way around.

_ "Why do you want to join me today?" _ Bad had asked the boy that morning, busy pushing his way through his bag to look for seeds and a bucket as Sapnap sat rocking back and forth in his nest. Sapnap had huffed as if it was obvious, rocking abruptly stopping just as Bad looked up with a raised eyebrow and arms full of seed spores. The boy beamed. 

_ "I want to spend time with you, Bad!" _

"There!" Sapnap shouted, voice filled with mirth that brought Bad back to the present. The demon blinked, eyes focusing in on the crimson fences in the distance before the sudden weight on his arm was gone and the boy was tumbling his way through blue grass and red dirt, fists in the sky. Sapnap laughed, voice echoing as he ran, and Bad huffed out a laugh of his own as he hurriedly jogged after his son.

"Slow down, Sapnap! You might hurt yourself!" Bad chided, but the caution seemed to flow one ear out the other for the boy as Sapnap continued running without preamble. He was forced to skid to a stop, however, once they both reached the fence wall Bad had set up. The boy clung onto one of the wood posts, ducking his head slightly to peer inside the pen and gasping audibly at the rows of wart and shrooms.

"Bad! Bad, open the gate! I wanna help!" Sapnap cried, leaning back to look up at the demon again. His eyes seemed to glow even brighter, now, smile wide and clearly visible with the hair brushed back out of his face. Bad didn't question the words even for a moment, instead unlatching the gate and opening it for Sapnap to slip inside. The boy did, releasing the fence he had a hold of to stumble into the farm, Bad following soon after and locking the gate shut behind them. He watched as Sapnap crouched down beside several bunches of crimson fungus, twisted together and warped oddly, the boy poking at the stems of the fungus with wide eyes and parted lips. Bad chuckled, catching Sapnap's attention evidently by the way his head turned and his eyes fixed themselves on the demon.

"You said you just wanted to watch, before," Bad murmured, Sapnap's blink of confusion being the only thing he needed to push him forward. Bad took a few steps closer to Sapnap before crouching beside him, head tilted slightly. "Do you want to, instead, help me harvest and plant some stuff?"

It only took a second or two for Sapnap's eyes to widen as he pushed himself up some, gaping mouth dropping open further. It opened and closed like a strider trying to eat warped fungus tied to a string as if the boy was searching for the right words. Bad had to hold back a laugh at the visual, patiently waiting for Sapnap's mouth to close. Once it did, the boy nodded rapidly up and down, to the point that watching it was dizzying. Bad quickly set a hand on Sapnap's shoulder, nearly breathing a sigh of relief as he stopped nodding but instead gave his son a patient smile. 

"Then lets get started, hm? I'll show you how to properly harvest some fungus and then we can have them for dinner tonight!"

That was all the encouragement Sapnap needed to cheer and holler.

* * *

Bad hadn't lied when he said they would have fungi that night. Although some of them were more warped than they had even looked when originally grown and some were a bit torn they tasted the same as ever. It was more satisfying, though, to have a meal made by both of their hard work, and clearly the work had been tiring too. After Sapnap had finished gnawing on some broiled mushrooms and slurping up the liquidy stew he yawned, loud and clear, before rubbing at the corners of his dark eyes. Bad hummed as he cleaned up the remaining food and empty dishes, ruffling Sapnap's hair as he passed him and only earning a groan in response rather than a hyperactive shake of the head. 

The boy's arms were covered in dirt, some chunks of wart still stuck under his nails from when he first tried pulling the plants up and out of the dirt. It was endearing, watching him scrub his face only to smear nylium across it, watching him as he swayed in his chair, full of food and all of the energy worked out of him. Seeing him so still was calming, and Bad didn't even bother making the boy get up himself and go to his nest. Once everything was cleared from their floor where they ate and the dirty dishes were tucked into a chest in the corner made for trash, Bad carefully padded over to the child about to doze off. He quickly, but carefully, scooped him up in his arms, hearing him grumble but cling onto the front of his shirt anyway. 

It brought an adoring smile to Bad's lips as his heart thumped happily, and he was careful to rock his arms only slightly as he walked over to the smaller of the two nests. He crouched, careful as to not bump Sapnap into anything as he set him down on top of one of the handmade blankets before beginning to gently tuck him in. He pulled some of the blankets over the boy's tiny frame, Bad unable to stop himself from chuckling when Sapnap murmured and curled up tighter in the warm covers. The demon reached out, carefully pushing some of the hair out of Sapnap's face to lean down and press a gentle kiss to his forehead, relishing in the smile that came to his son's face.

"Goodnight, Sap," Bad murmured, thumb lightly stroking over Sapnap's soft cheek before he patted it just so and pulled away. "I love you."

Bad pushed himself up, stopping himself from groaning at the aches that came to his knees as to not wake up the child. He turned away, trying to be as quiet as possible as he walked, deciding to head outside and check the perimeter a final time before he also went to sleep, but was stopped when he heard a tiny voice call out to him. He froze, spinning around slightly and staring at the lump of bundled-up blankets that hid his son from view. The words finally registered in his mind.

"Goodnigh' Dad."

Bad swallowed down the urge to brush off the statement. Sapnap could have been saying "Bad", his name, like he always did, but the "d" was so distinctive... Bad couldn't help but grin, eyes burning slightly when he rubbed at them and turned away from his son once more.

His son, Sapnap. Sapnap was his son, and he was Sapnap's father.

* * *

14 years ago Bad was worried about the future. While the previous years had been worry-free, with Bad too focused on keeping Sapnap safe to let his mind wander too far, now Sapnap was able to handle even more responsibility. He had cut his own hair, leaving it choppy and uneven but the exact length he wanted and he had refused to let Bad touch it despite how awful it looked at his shoulders. He would wake up without Bad's help, now being the one to wake Bad up on more than one occasion in order to get him to start cooking breakfast. He would explore more than ever, still telling Bad about his escapades but now patching himself up before Bad even noticed his minor injuries were there. Sapnap was growing up seemingly faster and faster before Bad's eyes.

So now Bad was stuck thinking about the future.

Sapnap grew bored of exploring the small island fast, even faster than Bad had, and even though he seemed to grow more resentful of the fence separating him from the rest of the island he never crossed it. He instead found more to do, trying to figure out how to do cartwheels and handstands on his own, trying to skip rubble against the lava lakes, anything that could occupy him. But the more restless and bored he got the more worried Bad became. 

While, yes, Bad had traveled across the lake and explored the rest of the Nether, Sapnap was still very much a child. Bad wasn't eager to take the boy strider riding across to the other side, only to watch him get hurt. Bad was an adventurer, and he was good at it, but Sapnap was seen as a threat to even the most friendly of mobs like piglins and hoglins. He was seen as a danger, and the rest of the Nether wouldn't be any kinder. There were many strange oddities outside of the island, and Sapnap wasn't even allowed to explore half of his home as it was. So leaving the island was a no-go, in Bad's opinion. 

However, that left only one option, one even riskier than letting Sapnap travel with him to other areas of the Nether.

The portal.

Bad wasn't even close to it, but looking at it was all he needed to feel its aura surrounding him and consuming his thoughts. Everything Bad had ever heard about beyond the portal was safe, no harm would come Sapnap's way out there, but there was no way to verify that fact. The only way he really "knew" Sapnap would be safe was by trusting the word of the demons who had also never been to the surface and had never come back either. It wasn't customary to return to the Nether, so that was to be expected, but all the stories of the surface had been just that, stories. 

Stories of color-changing skies, plush floors, and people to love.

It felt risky, the idea of going up there to the surface and never returning home. He wanted to make sure Sapnap was safe, but he didn't want him to become bored or restless either. If he was restless he would get more and more dangerous, and if he was bored he would get more and more rebellious. To keep him safe, Bad would have to do something and do it quickly. 

But was going through the portal the best option? There was so much more unknown with what lay outside the portal than there was in the Nether. But in the Nether there was more guarantee that Sapnap would be considered threatening. It didn't matter if he was Bad's son or not, he was different. He didn't belong in the Nether, not with how fragile he was currently and might continue to be. He was a child, created from light and energy and nothing like what the Nether was made of. On the surface, there was a chance that they'd both be safe, but there was also a chance they wouldn't be. If they weren't there was a chance they could run or fight back, a chance to survive despite the hardships to follow. 

Was it worth it to go to the surface if there was a chance Sapnap would be hurt? Or was it better to watch him grow resentful trapped on an island with nothing to do as long as he was safe?

"Dad!" A squeaky voice called, and Bad jolted, turning his head sharply away from the portal he had been staring at to stare at the boy who called for him. He was beaming, eyes dancing like fire as he waved, bare shoulders covered in speckles of dirt and occupied hand clinging tight to the clock pin clipped to the edge of the pants resting on his hips. "Dad, c'mon! Some striders are at the shore! I wanna feed them, dad!"

Bad smiled, momentarily forgetting about his fears to watch as Sapnap hopped happily from foot to foot. His son was so bright, full of life in a way nothing else was and it made Bad could feel an ache deep in his bones that told him his answer, even if he was scared to accept it.

"What are you waiting for? They're gonna leave soon!"

"Alright, alright, I'm coming, Sap!"

He would give it all up for Sapnap; his possessions, his home, his life, just to make sure he was happy. If that meant patching him up, or protecting him as he saved himself...

Then so be it.

* * *

13 years ago Bad finally worked up the courage to ask his son about the surface.

They were sat eating dinner outside their shack, Sapnap hunched over a bowl of soup he gobbled up eagerly. He was finally double the size he was 6 years ago, a staggering feat considering it took demons more than half a century to reach the height that Sapnap sat at then. His hair was more evenly cut, as he had allowed Bad to help him this time, and his clothes were messy from when he tried to help Bad sew them. He was perfect in a way only he could be as Bad's only child. 

Bad hadn't touched his own soup, having toyed for months with the idea of telling Sapnap about the surface before deciding that it was the only real way to keep him safe. Whatever lay on the surface, Bad was sure he could handle. He was a demon for crying out loud, and he had explored the very depths that the Nether had to offer. The idea of the unknown had never scared him before, so why should it scare him now? Still, he was nervous, too nervous to eat. Bad merely sat there, waiting for Sapnap to finish eating and watching as he felt his hands quiver and shake. 

"Dad?" Sapnap's gentle voice called out to the demon, and Bad was brought back down from his blank, dizzying worry to notice the boy was staring at him with furrowed eyebrows. "You okay? You haven't touched your food, like, at all..."

Bad smiled, and it seemed like enough reassurance for Sapnap to let his shoulders slump some, but he still looked concerned. Bad watched as his son set down the bowl he held, leaning back once he had and fixing his father with a piercing stare. Bad felt the eyes digging into his very soul, words thick in his throat as Sapnap tried to smile in what looked like a sympathetic manner.

"You can tell me, y'know, I'm not a little kid!"

The statement was laughable, but Bad held his tongue as he nodded slowly. Carefully, he reached out, squeezing one of Sapnap's hands as he continued to smile. His hands were so big compared to Sapnap's, even now with how much he had grown, his son's hand only about the size of his palm with Bad's fingers able to completely engulf it if he so desired. With a gentle sigh, Bad rocked both of their hands, slowly working over the words in his mind before swallowing his nerves and locking eyes with the boy before him once again.

"How do you feel about going to the surface?"

The words seemed to force Sapnap to pause, his furrowed brows releasing in tension before he tilted his head slightly, questioningly. It pushed Bad to continue without needing to be spoken, the demon's mouth feeling fuzzy as he hurried to explain.

"The portal up there on the hill leads to a place called the surface," He murmured, squeezing Sapnap's hand again. "That's why, even though it's not fenced away, I warned you about staying away from it. I don't know much about what's up there, I've only heard stories, but I know that staying here in the Nether isn't totally viable and-" During his rambling, Bad's hands raised, his fingers twisting together as he looked around desperately for a distraction.

He wasn't able to finish before the air was knocked out of him when a tiny weight hit his stomach. He grunted, looking down with wide eyes at the child that was suddenly in his lap, tiny paws gripping onto him tight. Sapnap's face was buried in his shirt as he sat there, and it was only when Bad lowered his arms to rest his hands on the boy's shoulder and back of his head that he looked up. It was breathtaking, as it always was, the way Sapnap's eyes burned as if they were glowing, his grin wide enough that it pushed at the edges of his mouth. 

"I wanna go! I wanna go with you to the surface!"

Bad swallowed, hesitance still digging into his skin as his stomach churned uncomfortably. He stroked Sapnap's hair as he nodded just enough to show he acknowledged the words, tongue still feeling unnatural in his mouth as he spoke slowly. 

"Are you sure, Sapnap?" He murmured, seeing the boy tilt his head as he continued to grin. "It's dangerous, you know? I don't want you getting hurt just because I decided to take you there, it would be..." Bad couldn't find the words to describe the sinking feeling in his chest when he imagined Sapnap getting seriously injured. The image of bone-white scars or missing limbs had Bad swallowing down the urge to cry, a lump in his throat growing rapidly. 

"I'm sure," Sapnap's voice murmured back assuredly, and Bad refocused on the boy in his lap. The grin was gone, replaced with a softer smile as Sapnap hugged him even closer and rested his forehead just so against Bad's collarbone. "I want to go with you, Dad, because I know you'll protect me."

Bad bit his tongue, the urge to cry spilling over now as tears burned their way into gathering at the corners of his eyes. Before he knew it, they were dripping down his cheeks as Bad curled up slightly. He curled his arms around Sapnap with ease, doing his best not to crush him as he buried his face into the top of the boy's messy mop of hair. The demon's shoulders shook as he shakily sobbed before pressing a wet kiss to his son's forehead.

"I will. I'll protect you, Sapnap."

Sapnap never responded verbally, instead hugging him back with his tiny hands gripping tight to his shirt the rest of the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for the support on the last chapter! It really pushed me to get this chapter out a lot sooner than I was planning on writing it! 
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this chapter as well, it was a lot more fun to write than I expected and next chapter I'm planning on finally introducing some of the other characters so keep an eye out ;) 
> 
> Hope you all have a fantastic day!


	3. In the Respite of Old and New

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sapnap was human. Or at least partially human.
> 
> He was like most of the people in town, in that regard, who were also at least a little bit human. He wasn't outcasted, and he wouldn't be hurt because of the way he looked and acted like he would have been if he continued to reside in the nether. He was safe.
> 
> That was something that brought Bad more sleepful nights than anything else he had learned.

While Sapnap was raring to go to the surface from the moment Bad had told him about it, Bad was still cautious. Alongside packing and cleaning up their soon-to-be previous home, Bad scrounged the abandoned hovels of his old pack to try and find as much information as he possibly could on what lay beyond the portal. He dug through chests for materials, looked under nests and rugs for secret books, and checked the most frequent hangout spots for lost goods in hopes anything would prep him for possible danger. Of course, there wasn't much, which would be cause for disappointment if not for the few scraps Bad _was_ able to sniff out. 

The few things he found were enough to even keep Sapnap's palpable impatience at bay. The one Sapnap seemed to take most interest in, though, was the tiny notebook smaller than Bad's palm. It didn't have much, full of scratchy writing about something called "the Sun" and "the Moon" and how time worked. The color-changing skies Bad had heard so much about were linked to time, day and night instinctive up there and intrinsically tied to the shapes in the sky that circled the world. It was interesting, but odder to Bad moreso. Sapnap, however, was fascinated by the sloppy and torn pages, constantly turning over the same words with a look of awe. Bad would occasionally see him thumbing the clock pin in his lap as he gazed over the words. 

Bad never mentioned it, instead waiting until Sapnap started getting restless to interrupt and ask him for assistance with packing, cleaning or gardening.

Aside from the book, the rest of the items weren't really useful either. There was a drawing of some strange animals that Sapnap had seemed excited by, scraps of fabric that felt similar to Sapnap's white blanket which Bad used in secret to make Sapnap clothes as a gift, and a stone that glistened under the glowstone light, blue and glittering. The drawing and stone were kept and packed away in one of Bad's bags, and Sapnap almost tore a hole in the new black shirt he wore under his blanket when he got caught on some warped vines. The items coupled with the stories from the past left Bad with very little information on the surface even still, something that made the demon that much more nervous.

Sapnap never asked why Bad packed several bags full of wart, shrooms and fungus more than they needed for food. He watched as Bad took down the fences surrounding their home, creating a chest for storage in the corner of their hovel. He went as far as to help Bad make sure everything was clean and tidy, no trash laying about and their temporary nests folded up and tucked into his arms on their final day in the Nether. Bad was overpreparing and stalling for as long as he could possibly manage, to avoid the surface for that much longer.

It had been several decades since the rest of his pack had left, and Bad was just barely an adult demon, only two centuries old by that point. What would his pack say? It had been so long since he had seen them after all and he had changed a lot since they disappeared. He had a child, a son to call his own, and he had stopped exploring just to take care of him. Would they judge him? Be confused by his actions? 

Would they hurt Sapnap?

Bad had chewed his nails to aether and back, thinking of throwing it all through the window and backing out before they had even stepped foot near the portal. But Sapnap's excited eyes whenever he gazed up at the hill stopped him. The surface would be safe, he had to believe it or risk driving himself over the edge with worry if he thought otherwise. It would be  _ safer _ at the very least, and he had to keep that thought in mind.

"Dad?" Bad turned and smiled at Sapnap, seeing the little boy tilt his head to get his chin an edge above the nests bundled in his arms. They had done a final clean of the area, leaving it tidier than it was on a normal day. The only messy thing left was Sapnap, his hair even more unruly after another year gone by, his eyes even brighter, and his body taller and wider than before. Bad crouched down, knees knocking against the wood floor as he reached out to try and neaten the ratty tangled on his son's head with a hum. 

"Dad, stop!" Sapnap whined but the smile on his face only encouraged the demon, chuckling under his breath as he tucked the oil-y locks gently and separated them easily. "Come on, we gotta go! You promised we'd go today!" Bad's lips dipped only slightly at the reminder, and he huffed indignantly. Sapnap wasn't lying. In a moment of exertion, Bad relented and forced himself to tell Sapnap they would be leaving, the stress melting away for a few blissful moments when his son had dropped one of the bags he was hurriedly packing to gape at him. The way his eyes practically glowed and the way his pudgy fingers clung tight onto Bad was enough to convince the demon he made the right choice.

If he made a promise to Sapnap, that meant he couldn't break it. There was no denying going to the surface any longer, not with the insurance that Bad's son would be there to push him onward. 

"You're right," Bad murmured reassuringly, pulling his thin fingers from the boy's hair cleanly. "You got everything? Your clothes and books?" Before he had even finished the sentence, Sapnap was nodding wildly. The boy dropped the nests in his arms to swing off the tiny bag on his shoulders, holding it out to Bad for him to see. Bad chuckled, gently pushing the bag back towards Sapnap. "Yep, looks like you do." He said evenly as Sapnap grinned and slung the bag back on and scooped up the nests with only minor difficulty. 

As he hefted the frumpled nests in his arms, Bad pushed himself up to be standing before grabbing his own bags and clipping them onto the straps around his back and waist. He felt notably heavier by the end, rolling his shoulders as he glanced out towards the lake directly across from their home. Maybe he should have promised Sapnap they'd leave sooner if the weight of several overpacked bags was his punishment. Bad was practically dreading climbing the mountain to the portal. 

"Dad! Dad!" 

It seemed to happen more and more that Sapnap's voice would bring Bad back down, the demon looking over at his son with a raised eyebrow. The boy grinned, tongue poking out between the gap of his front teeth as he bounced. 

"Are you ready, too?"

The regret disappeared in a flash, a warm ache settling in the demon's sternum as the simple words washed over him. Bad smiled, nodding once and watching Sapnap's eyes flash with gold. His son was grabbing his hand in an instant, shuffling the nests around in his arms but the edges still dragging on the floor anyway. Bad couldn't find it in himself to care, instead letting himself be tugged along by the arm without bothering to resist. 

"Lets go!"

"Alright, just be careful, Sap."

* * *

It took a bit of work, and Bad ended up having to carry Sapnap the rest of the way up after they reached the halfway point on the hill, but they reached the peak. With a quick break to catch their breath, Bad was struck by how large and overpowering the portal was up close. It was at least 10 feet taller than him, the hissing and spitting he could sometimes hear in the distance now up close and louder than ever. Sapnap was practically dwarfed by it, seeing as he stood at less than half of Bad's height, but compared to the demon he seemed excited by the purple sparks and rough rock. He was fixated on the portal, as if memorizing every detail, and Bad could see him squeezing the clock pin buried behind the nests he held. 

Bad swallowed his fears, standing abruptly and catching his son off guard. He flashed the boy an apologetic smile, relieved when he received a smile in return. With a slight nod to the portal, Sapnap understood, scrambling to get up while almost tripping over the weaved vines in his arms. Bad reached out, grabbing his shoulder to stabilize him before relishing in the giggle he received when Sapnap nudged him. With the short stint over, Bad was forced to turn to the portal in front of him, tongue thick in his throat and stomach feeling as if a hole was being carved into it. 

"Dad?"

Bad didn't look, too focused on the swirling haze of purple before him to notice before Sapnap's gentle hand was grasping his own once more. Slowly, the demon's head ducked down, and his heart leapt when he saw the frown on Sapnap's lips. The boy shuffled, burying the lower half of his face into the nests in his arms and the clock pin on his hip glinting in the purple glow before them. Bad swallowed down his fears, noticing how tight the grip on his fingers was even as Sapnap stood still. His eyes seemed dim as he gazed as his feet, the sight pushing the father forward as he flashed a grin he hoped was confident. 

"I'll be here, Sapnap. I'm not leaving anywhere without you." He promised, watching the boy's head jerked up. With wide eyes, Sapnap floundered, but snapped shut when Bad curled his hand around his son's tiny fist and squeezed gently. His smile grew more genuine, head tilted as he looked to the portal again. "I promise, I'll protect you."

It was enough, as Sapnap's hand unfurling after a sharp squeeze to Bad's fingers. In unison, the two stepped forward before trotting together in an odd rhythm towards the tall gateway to the surface. It felt like an eternity, walking together hand in hand, but once Bad squeezed his eyes shut he could feel the cold viscous feeling of the portal mist sliding around them reality struck. 

This was it.

The hissing grew louder in Bad's ears, and he could faintly feel Sapnap's grubby fingers digging deep into his palms. Everything he could feel was kicked up to an eleven, sense of smell suffocated by the portal, the taste of ash in his mouth, his ears ringing and all he could hear was the loud, loud hissing. His heart was pounding in his chest, and without realizing it he began to cling onto Sapnap's hand for support in much the same way Sapnap clung to him. Eventually, the cold air finally gave way after an extraordinary amount of time, Bad taking a sharp inhale through his mouth as he tumbled out of the portal. His eyes sprung open, noticing the lack of warmth in his palm. Where was Sapnap?

Bad stood up straight, feeling dizzy as he spun around and frantically looked about. All of the fear was knocked out of his chest in a panicked moment of relief when he spotted his son laying across the steps beside the portal. His bag had tumbled to the side, along with the nests previously in his arms, but his clothes were intact and his hair was sticking to his cheeks. Bad crouched and crawled towards Sapnap, dropping a few of his own bags as he went to make the movement easier. As soon as he had reached the portal he quickly cupped his son's face with both hands, not even fully registering the smear of his own black, inky blood across Sapnap's cheek as his eyes fluttered open. The boy's eyes were dim, still, hazy, but he smiled all the same.

"Dad! We made it through?"

Bad shakily nodded, feeling too weak to respond verbally but smiling when Sapnap beamed and sat up as if he hadn't been lying down in a tumbled heap seconds ago. He pushed Bad's hands away without care, looking around with glowing eyes as he 'ooh'ed and 'ah'ed. Bad didn't bother looking around, still inspecting the slivers of Sapnap's skin he could see for any new injuries when the boy got up. 

"Dad! Look at the nylium! Its green!" Sapnap said, hurriedly fumbling away from the portal and onto... what looked to be exactly as he described, green nylium. Bad was forced to look around at this point, mouth dropping open as he looked over the tall trees that matched the ground beneath them, pure blue sky that was speckled with white whisps, and gorgeous strange plants littering the ground in different shapes and vibrant colors. It was so overwhelming he almost forgot to look back at Sapnap, but when he did the boy was crouching beside some yellow sprouts, hands gently curled around them as if he was afraid to crush them. It washed away the fear gripping Bad's chest, constricting his lungs and making his sternum burn. It washed away the worries, if only for a brief moment, to see his son so carefree in somewhere so peaceful.

The moment didn't last long, as Bad then noticed the portal out of the corner of his eye. Something about it made his stomach recoil. It stood at the same height, but was elevated on a platform of basalt stairs and netherrack rubble. It was tilted, as if about to fall, so out of place in the middle of the strange surface forest they had found themselves in. The rock of the portal looked worn down by age, and thick weeds and vines were torn to shreds near the insides of the portal as if it had been lit ablaze. Bad wasn't sure what to make of the sight, but he couldn't drag his eyes away from it either. He would've expected it to be in better shape, really, it had only been a few decades and the portal back in the nether seemed as pristine as it had been when Bad had first left the island. So what happened?

Bad wasn't able to search the portal, distracted easily by Sapnap rustling about and getting up. He watched as the boy stood, dirt on his knees and blanket already, and smiled when Sapnap turned to him and held out his arms. "Dad, come on! I wanna look around!" He chirped happily, and Bad couldn't help but smile as he gently grasped Sapnap's outstretched hands and stood. 

"Yeah, okay," He agreed, laughing when Sapnap wiggled happily before tugging on his arms and dragging him away from the ruined portal. They could come back for their bags later, and Bad cared more about accompanying Sapnap and keeping him safe than worrying over what could possibly just be the effects of some kind of strange erosion.

Somehow, even though they had only just stepped foot onto the surface, Bad felt safer here than he ever had when he was in the Nether.

* * *

Bad did end up going back for their bags, but only after they found a strange sort of river. It was different compared to the ones in the nether, with a clear liquid that was much more diluted than lava. It was cool to the touch, almost inviting, and for the first time since Bad had taken Sapnap in they were able to give him a proper wash. 

As Sapnap bathed Bad went back to grab their supplies, thankful nothing had found them in the time they were exploring. They had found more strange plants on their way to the river, as well as a weird cone full of weird bugs that buzzed about. There were trees full of strange foods, mountains in the distance made of what looked to be a lighter blackstone, and what looked to be a path made of strange brick leading deeper into the woods. 

By the time Bad had made it back to the river Sapnap was crawling out, sopping wet but looking very pleased despite his hair dripping. Bad attempted to dry him off with his blanket, but he was still a bit damp even afterward. They dug out a change of clothes from Sapnap's bag for him to change into, and Bad watched as the boy proudly reattached his golden clock pin to his chest before they repacked. In the end, their first few hours on the surface were uneventful at best. 

"We should try the path," Sapnap had murmured as Bad hooked one of his bags back onto his waist, catching the demon by surprise as the boy tore at a piece of warped fungus root with his mouth and gnawed on it. "Kind of like the paths near home, it's a way to find our way to someplace safe, right?" 

Bad opened his mouth to argue but closed it again soon after. Paths lead to civilization, at the very least, and with that they might be able to find some help. So, Bad smiled, nodding once and reaching out to ruffle his son's wet hair. "Thats a good idea, Sap!" He cooed, basking in the grin he was given before gently scooping up the boy's free hand and guiding him back towards the strange brick road. They found it easily, the bright red standing out sharply against the green tones of the forest, and Sapnap found enjoyment out of kicking and stepping on random cracks and nuts he found on the way down the path. 

The sun, as Sapnap pointed out, shifted across the sky as they walked, going from overhead to behind them in a few hours. Bad noted as they walked that the scenery grew more vacant, the forests giving way to more open fields, and the brick road shifting to a pale wood closer to the color of pigman hide than what Bad perceived to be the normal blues and purples. Still, they continued walking, the bridge growing more precarious the further they went, with a few rotting planks and holes to boot. It was only when the sun rested against and began to dip below the horizon that Bad saw anything in the distance that could be considered town worthy, and what a town it was. 

The lights shone from the city, towers and buildings littered about at random and people bustling about happily. There were no fences or gates, no walls to keep them from entering, more so just an open town full of people. It was a bit of a drastic change, to say the least, from the sparse, bare land to a town full of people and life. Even as they entered the town, it was a lot to accept and process. Things were loud, they were bright and full of flashing colors and different languages that Bad couldn't comprehend. He saw a sign for a bakery with a little brunette girl hanging outside it, he saw a boy in a yellow sweater carrying around a sleeping toddler with a red bandana around his neck, he saw a girl with a ponytail and a pirate hat playfighting swords with another boy wearing sunglasses despite the setting sun. It was almost enough to distract Bad from noticing how people tended to step around him, which was embarrassing if for the fact that he realized then just how tall he was compared to everyone else. 

Generally, he was tall for a demon, but he hadn't expected to be that much taller than the creatures on the surface as well. Creatures on the surface... who looked a lot like Sapnap. Some of the children almost strikingly so, in fact, with the same rosy skin and wavy hair. Bad lurched in surprise, a sudden tug to his arm catching him off guard as he glanced down at his son. He then noticed how the boy was beaming, something like a mix of apprehension and intrigue swirling inside him when Sapnap tugged his arm again. 

Whatever he was expecting, it wasn't the words that came out of his mouth next.

"Can we stay here? I like it here, dad!" 

Bad gaped for a moment before hurriedly scooping Sapnap up. They were in the middle of the street, after all. It was no place to try and worm around a way to figure out Sapnap's sudden request.

He felt Sapnap latch into the front of his shirt as he carried him over to a little side parlor, setting him down with ease on a random bench and crouching beside him in order to stare up at the boy. Sapnap blinked, clearly confused by the sudden movement, but tilted his head and smiled anyway. Bad swallowed, the urge to deny Sapnap for the first time ever twisting his gut and making his hands quiver as he gently cupped one of his son's shoulders.

"You want to live here? In this town?" He murmured in an attempt to confirm the words he had heard earlier. Sapnap nodded jerkily in the same way he usually did, swinging his feet as he did so.

"Mhm!"

"Why?" 

The question was blurted before Bad could even think about stopping himself. Sapnap didn't look offended, however. Instead, he grinned, as if he had been waiting to hear the question the whole time, a giggle escaping him and causing Bad to pause.

"I like it, it feels like we belong here! I want to be here with you!" 

It made no sense, but Sapnap looked so confident when he said it that any thoughts of deflecting died in Bad's throat as he continued to stare up at his son. He considered, yet again, denying the boy. This town was crowded, loud, and there might not even be room for them. It could be dangerous, and have plenty of unseen terrors lurking in the shadows. It could be full of monsters, or frightening beasts. 

It could be safe, too.

Bad inhaled shakily, Sapnap's piercingly bright eyes boring into him the longer he stayed silent. With a wobbly smile, and a heart full of intent, Bad stood.

"Lets go see if we can find someone to help us find a house then, hm?"

* * *

It would only be after Bad confirmed that yes, a house could be made for them and until it was finished they could live in the community house with other visitors and members, that the town they had chosen (or rather, Sapnap had chosen) for them to live in was the largest town on the surface, known as the Great SMP. It was only after Bad had thanked the leader of the town for his acceptance of them and found the living quarters with Sapnap that Bad realized most people were wary of him, as when he entered the bustling room fell quiet, only returning in volume when Sapnap noticed a boy in a blue t-shirt and wiggled his way out of Bad's arms to go greet him. 

Bad learned a lot of things in the coming week they waited for their house to be built. That the green nylium was called grass, that the strange river they had found was full of water, that Sapnap loved interacting with people, that Sapnap wasn't too kind on anyone who thought of Bad as strange, and that Sapnap was human. Or at least partially human.

He was like most of the people in town, in that regard, who were also at least a little bit human. He wasn't outcasted, and he wouldn't be hurt because of the way he looked and acted like he would have been if he continued to reside in the nether. He was safe.

That was something that brought Bad more sleepful nights than anything else he had learned.

* * *

A month later saw Bad and Sapnap fully moved in and settled into their new home in the Great SMP. Their bags were both fully unpacked and tucked away in one of their storage closets collecting dust, a new garden set up in their basement as Bad soon realized the wart and fungus from the nether didn't grow well in the bright light of the surface, and their house stocked with other strange oddities from the new world such as flowers, different clothes, and many other knickknacks they had gathered in the short weeks they spent together. Bad would still sometimes be startled and have to adjust to the bright lights of the sun, as he spent his whole life below the ground, and Sapnap would still come home covered in dirt but would now wash it off before dinnertime instead of eating with grubby fingers and smelly clothes. 

Things were similar to their time back in the nether, but were also different. Bad soon realized that human and surface hierarchies were strange, as the town abided by certain rules such as taxes, in which you paid money in order to live in the city in exchange for protection from night creatures and other assistance from the town. For this, he began taking up odd jobs around town. It wasn't easy, seeing as people were very wary of him when he came around to assist those who put up advertisements for "Help: Wanted", but never turned him away despite the clear unease. 

There were other things that were different too, mainly to do with free time. Typically when they still lived underground Bad spent any time he had not gardening or looking after his son doing other chores, like taking out trash or cleaning, maintaining the fence walls, assisting striders, or anything else that needed to be done. Now, when he wasn't earning money around town, he was reading. Sure, there were still things to be cleaned in the house but nothing for the land around it, and there were fewer to almost no hazards to take care of. No consistent burning fires, no worry of sudden avalanches or monster attacks, or anything that Bad had the job of taking care of. It was peaceful in a way the nether never had been, which gave way for Bad to learn new languages, write about the things he saw on the surface, and take up strange hobbies he saw flyers for. 

One of the other differences was the people, though. Bad was much more reclusive when he was younger, and he had lived alone for decades, but now he was constantly surrounded by people almost constantly during the day hours. That wasn't to say he disliked it, though. He rather enjoyed seeing some of the same people he did every say, being able to wave hello and converse with them if he was lucky to catch them when they weren't busy. Such as the tiny brunette outside the bakery, who found him fascinating and would always want to touch his horns or tail, or the boy in the yellow sweater who looked exhausted whenever Bad saw him because of the two rowdy children he was usually around, the only time the demon really seeing him awake was when he was around a boy with goat horns the same age as him who bickered with him constantly. 

Bad wasn't the only one fascinated by the new people surrounding him on a daily basis, though, as Sapnap had also found joy in talking to their neighbors and anyone else who came by. Sapnap was excited to meet others, willing to go out of his way and greet those he saw on the street or hanging around outside shops without so much as an air of caution about him. There lied within the next and most notable change to Bad's life, though.

Sapnap had friends now. It wasn't surprising that he had friends, nor who his friends were and how they acted, but their presence was a change that Bad hadn't expected to affect him as much as it had. First and the most frequently around was George, the boy in the blue shirt Sapnap had seen on the first night in town. George permanently lived in the community house, not willing to divulge into why he lived there alone and dodging it if Sapnap ever asked about it when Bad was around, and he was a few years older than Sapnap. Because of this, he was generally more mature and had an air of intelligence surrounding him. He wore a pair of strange glasses with him everywhere, which Bad was told one dinner with Sapnap was because the boy had two different colored eyes and was colorblind, something he was insecure about. Once Sapnap told him this he forced Bad to never tell George he had told, as it was meant to be a secret, and Bad did his best to avoid the subject when George was around.

George being there frequently meant that Bad was subjected to the occasional uneasy glances inside his own home. He was used to the looks when out and about, as mentioned, and George didn't like coming in the house where Bad typically was so it was more limited, but it was enough that Bad noticed it. George didn't trust him, for some reason or another. It was a fact he already knew before he noticed the odd stares from the boy, as Sapnap came home practically fuming on one to two occasions sporting new bruises and bandaids he grunted about being because he got in a fight with George. Sapnap only really took to fighting when it was in Bad's "honor", and Sapnap never told him about the fights in any detail to disprove the inkling in Bad's mind that George didn't like him all that much.

He wasn't a bad kid though. Bad knew this. George was just as rowdy and enjoyed playing around and wrestling with Sapnap as much as Sapnap loved to play with him, and George only really grew quiet if he saw Bad or was near him. George was excitable and vibrant, just like Sapnap, he was just less expressive about it around those he didn't know well. Or didn't trust.

Sapnap had a few other friends though, such as the boy in a white hoodie down the street named Punz. They didn't talk often, but the two would occasionally be crouched together in the dirt if George was busy or if Sapnap was especially worn out one day. Punz never seemed to notice Bad, or ever really look at him, so Bad wasn't entirely sure what the boy's opinion was of him.

There was Quackity, who was one of the people who hung around the boy with goat horns Bad saw lurking around. Quackity was never really around the goat-horned kid if the other boy with a yellow sweater was around, so the only time Bad ever saw him was if he was around Sapnap. Quackity was refreshing in the fact that he didn't seem to be wary of bad in the slightest, but this also got on Bad's nerves. Not because Quackity didn't mind that he was an outcast, no, but because Quackity wasn't wary at _ all _ . His abhorrent language had been the real shock for Bad when he first met him, and after that point Sapnap never really let Quackity approach him and only mentioned him at dinner on occasion. Being hit on by someone who was only 3/50th of his age wasn't high on Bad's list of things he enjoyed, if he was honest.

The final person Bad really knew of was one he had only heard of in passing. A boy only known as "Dream". Sapnap had explained to Bad, after his slight confusion, that "Dream" wasn't the child's real name, more a nickname bestowed upon himself, and that he was the son of the blonde man who let them into town originally. He was more reclusive, too, which is why the only times Bad ever heard of him is when Sapnap snuck out at early dawn to hang out with him and returned in the late hours just before dinner with a hair full of twigs and muddy shoes. All Bad knew was that the boy was the same age as Sapnap, that he was just as close to George as Sapnap was (presumably because they lived together), and that he hid his face frequently with a paper plate mask the trio had made together for him to wear. 

Well... that was all Bad knew before he came to visit.

* * *

"Dad! I'm home!" Sapnap's voice rang out from the front entrance, the thundering of his new boots noticeable as they tumbled against the welcome mat. Even from the kitchen, Bad could practically see in his mind the amount of mud tracked in as he stirred the pot of soup he was making for dinner with a hum. Something felt different about the noises, though, the amount of shuffling from his son doubled more than normal. 

"If you're dirty you better wash up quick, I'm almost done!" Bad called back with ease, hearing Sapnap hum in affirmation before his padded feet made way for the creaky stairs. Bad paused in his cooking when he heard more pairs of footsteps, though, straining to listen to them over the bubbling pot in front of him. Yep, those were multiple pairs of feet. The way they walked was different than Sapnap, distinct. One was lighter, almost impossible to hear if not for the gentle squeaks from each rickety step, something Bad recognized as George's footsteps. The other one was unfamiliar, though, and it seemed to be trying to keep pace with Sapnap and was heavier than both of the other boys. 

Guests, and Sapnap hadn't told him. Bad hurriedly turned off the stove with slight haste, looking at the mushroom stew warily. Would their guests even like nether mushrooms? They were very similar to the ones on the surface, albeit a bit larger, but the flavor was stronger. Bad glanced towards the fridge, opening it quietly and scrounging around for more food. There was at least some human food in there, such as the sliced bread he had gotten from the bakery earlier that day. That might dilute the stew enough for whoever Sapnap had brought home, surely, Bad thought as he snatched up the bread and quickly made to set it on the table. 

Once he neatly put the board of sliced bread in the center, Bad noticed something else. Only two bowls and sets of silverware sat on the round surface. He groaned before spinning towards the cabinets in a flurry and tugged them open, pulling out two more bowls with haste. He nearly knocked his head on the door when he heard the three pairs of footsteps coming back down the large stairs, frantic as he grabbed two more spoons and shut the door with only a slight fumble. Just as the stairs stopped creaking Bad managed to set up the table with the extra dinnerware, slipping up beside the oven and turning it on once more. 

"I brought a few friends over, by the way!" Sapnap called as the footsteps grew louder, and Bad let out a breath he hadn't realized he had been holding, trying to seem casual as he went back to stirring his stew. 

"Oh! Good, I thought you had!" Bad called in fake surprise, glancing at the door for a moment before quickly looking at the pot of soup when he noticed Sapnap peaking in. He heard someone murmur something, someone he didn't recognize the voice of, before George grunted and hissed. There was a bit of shuffling, a scuffle happening behind Bad as he felt his heart pound and hands shake. He wasn't even sure why he was nervous, really. Maybe it was the anticipation, as none of Sapnap's friends had ever come over for a meal before. Maybe it was the fact that he had only spoken to George once to wish him a good morning only to be stared at, and the fact that there was another child he had never met before in his home. 

Bad heard the screech of chairs, more murmurs, and a bit of laughter as he heard the children behind him sitting down and moving about. Sapnap kicked George, George jeered, the other child made a noise that sounded more like a kettle wheezing than it did laughter, and Bad blinked back to focus when he realized his stew was bubbling. He turned the stove off once more with a click, scooping up the ladle for only a moment when he heard Sapnap groan behind him.

"Dad, hurry up! George is being mean!" The boy whined in a tone Bad knew far too well. With a roll of his eyes and a fond smile he shook his head, dropping the ladle back in the soup before picking up the pot with ease. He took a deep breath before turning towards the table, eyes landing on the new figure that graced his home. He was shorter than George, which was fair given that the blue-clad boy was older, but taller than Sapnap by a wide margin. His scruffy blonde hair fell in front of his eyes and brushed against a large pale scar stretched across the bridge of his nose, a green hoodie that was clearly too big for him making him look ruffled, and the most notable aspect of his attire lay tilted against the side of his head.

A white paper plate mask with an awfully knotted string and wobbly smiley face drawn on the front. This was Dream.

Bad merely hummed in response to Sapnap as he padded over delicately with the pot, watching as all three boys turned their heads towards him and Dream started gaping. It was a little unnerving, to be stared at by all three of them; Sapnap's piercing gold and black eyes, George's judgemental gaze from behind his glasses, and the hidden eyes of Dream all boring into him. "Keep my son humble, George, its good for him," Bad said with a smile as he plopped the pot of soup on the rack on the table placed beside the breadboard. It was enough to crack a smile from the brunette, if only for a moment before he was struggling to wipe his face into a more neutral expression. The reaction from Sapnap was much more enjoyable, as he gasped in mock offense before faking a sob and leaning back in his chair.

Dream, on the other hand, was still staring as if he hadn't even registered that Bad had spoken, lips parted in surprise. Bad swallowed down the urge to hide, instead pulling out the last chair at the round table and plopping down next to Sapnap and Dream and across from George. After a beat of silence, he waved his hand and Sapnap jolted up at the motion. Quickly, the boy made a grab for the bread before scooping up the ladle. With a swish he had dumped most of the chunks of mushroom out, taking the broth and dumping it into his bowl and dropping the bread in after it. George seemed to realize the cue as well, taking after Sapnap and beginning to grab his own food as Bad waited patiently.

Dream was still staring.

Bad closed his eyes, taking a quick breath before looking at the blond boy with a gentle smile and feeling his stomach lurch when Dream jolted, as if he wasn't expecting him to notice him staring. Even if Bad couldn't see his eyes, the head turn and obvious pointed look was enough to know where the child was looking. Bad rested his hands in his lap, partially to seem polite and partially because he wanted to wipe the sweat off onto his pants. 

"You must be Dream, yeah?" He asked cautiously, feeling his nerves spike when George's head snapped up as well and he felt his eyes digging into him as well. Sapnap, on the other hand, continued to fill his bowl with broth after stealing the ladle away from George who dropped it into the pot when Bad spoke. Bad swallowed, shrugging slightly. "Its nice to meet you, Sapnap talks a lot about you!"

Dream was still silent, staring as if frozen, and George's own stare hadn't let up either. It made the hair on the back of Bad's neck tingle as his hands twisted together under the table. After a few moments Bad mustered up the courage to speak again but was cut off when Dream jerkily moved, turning towards Sapnap and sitting up straighter in his chair. A hand smacked against the table, causing Bad to jolt before he realized it was Dream. Dream was grinning. 

"Dude!" He said, voice pitching up excitedly. George's gaze finally broke away from Bad, eyes locking onto Dream with a raised eyebrow as Sapnap glanced up with a hum of confusion. Dream floundered for a second, searching for words before smacking his hand down again and reaching up to push his hair up and out of his eyes, revealing a startling green that matched his hoodie. "You didn't tell me your dad was a demon! that's so cool!"

It was Bad's turn to gape, mouth opening and closing briefly before Sapnap grunted and set down the ladle he held, head tilting. "What?" He asked, snorting. "Yeah, I did, dude! I totally told you my dad's a demon, I like... told you I grew up in the nether and junk didn't I?"

Dream seemed even more flabbergasted by this, hair falling back down as his hands waved about. "Uh? NO? Pandas, you told me you grew up like, somewhere else and stuff but never told me anything specific! Do you know how cool this is?" 

George snorted from beside Dream, arms crossing as he leaned back in his chair and clearly kicked the boy beside him judging by how Bad saw the blond flinch out of the corner of his eye. "He didn't tell me either when I first showed up. He just told me his dad was super tall and that was it. Imagine how weird it was to come here and see a demon just, standing around watering the flowers on his porch when I expected some human guy with bad facial hair and stuff!"

Dream made another wheezing like sound of laughter at the visual, meanwhile, Sapnap seemed genuinely taken aback by the words, looking between his two friends with wide eyes before pushing himself up slightly in his chair. "Wait, oh my god, are you guys serious?" Sapnap fumbled, and Dream let out another wheeze as George scoffed.

"Yes? Oh my aether did you seriously not know? I thought you've been fucking with us this whole time by pretending that we already knew this!"

"Language," Bad could hear himself croak out weakly, an automatic response he had learned after Quackity showed up and made swearing a bit too commonplace in his life. Dream, George and Sapnap all turned to look at him with varying shades of amusement, and Bad smiled weakly before Dream grabbed the edge of the table and yanked himself forward. His chair scraped across the wood floor, making a horrid noise that caused Bad's ears to fold back briefly before the blond spoke with a wide grin.

"Screw it! I wanna hear about what the nether was like! Sapnap said you guys only stayed on this weird island but never told me you lived down  _ there _ !" The boy said excitedly. Bad was surprised to find George nodding along, his interest seemingly peaked for once and his apathetic facade dropping the slightest margin.

With a quick glance towards Sapnap, Bad raised his eyebrows. Somehow, Sapnap got the message, his confusion melting into an easy smile as he nodded eagerly. It was enough courage for Bad to clear his throat as he looked back at the two boys who stared expectantly. His hands no longer shaking, Bad waved with a grin

"Alright, alright, I'll tell you as we eat," He promised. "Grab your food first and I can tell you about the first time I entered a nether fortress!"

The rest of dinner was filled by the boys prodding Bad with questions and story-related prompts, all the stew and bread gone by the time when the sun was fully set behind the horizon. Bad knew more about Dream by the end, as well. He knew that he was blonde, just as full of energy as Sapnap, full of the same wit that George latched onto and use spitefully, and that he was confident. He knew that Dream was his son's friend.

That night, Dream, George and Sapnap together all huddled up in the bed. The covers were pulled over their shoulders to keep out the cold of the night, the only light coming in from the window peaking through the curtains. As Bad passed by them in the hallway, he watched with a smile as Sapnap held his snoozing friends close in his slumber, taking the time to shut the door before continuing on to his own bed down the hall.

Maybe the surface wasn't all Bad had feared it to be after all.


	4. In the Face of Reality and Diversion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> But then Bad caught that glint, the shine of something out of the corner of his eye that caused him to blink rapidly and break himself from his moping. He sat up straighter, back aching after being hunched over for hours at that point, and looked around hoping to see the glint again. 
> 
> When he did, he paused, soaking in the sight of the man in view. His giant coat was partially covering his mouth, the fat zipper brushing against his upper lip as he waved his hand about. When he tilted his chin, Bad could see his bright red tongue poking out from his mouth, eyebrows furrowed in frustration. 
> 
> Another glint caught his eye, still coming from the man before him, and Bad realized he was staring at someone entirely made of crystal.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CW// for alcohol, drinking, and Bad being a bit drunk in this chapter.

Just like the past 8 years, a half of a decade flashed by in an instant. 6 years ago from modern-day saw Bad fully settled into The Great SMP. With the passage of time came more knowledge, more experience with the surface, and the longing to return to the nether only decreased more and more until it was practically nonexistent. Bad grew used to keeping time, keeping track of the days and months to make note of special human events and other festivities in town, keeping track of minutes and hours to get to shops after they opened and before they closed, keeping the year marked in his mind as the clock ticked forward. Bad had changed some, swapping his nether-bound wardrobe with a more human equivalent making up his new casual wear. As his horns grew longer and he filed his nails down for convenience Bad realized how soft he had grown for the place he was once filled with fear for. 

Sapnap changed much more drastically, the baby fat melting away into a sharper jawline, long hair pulled back into a short rattail, his height jumping from an even 4ft at Bad's hip to over 5ft and able to bury his face in Bad's waist when they hugged. He was leaner, somehow moving around even more than he used to even as an excitable young boy. His clothes were frayed and dirty after being worn down from years of use, save for the bandana he had grown used to wearing to keep his black locks out of his eyes, made from the scraps of the old swaddling blanket Bad had found him in. The clock pin he used to wear proudly was relatively more hidden now, but still carried around with him wherever he went. Bad would still see him thumbing over the details long since memorized, his son crouched on the wooden steps of the front porch late at night if he was waiting for one of his friends to pass along. 

They weren't the only ones who had changed, of course. The town changed as well, growing rapidly over the years along with the kids inside it. Niki, the girl outside the bakery Bad continued to visit weekly, was seen hanging out with Wilbur, the boy in the yellow turtleneck, as the two teens worked together to sell sweets. They always greeted Bad with enthusiasm (or at least, as much enthusiasm as Wil seemed to be able to muster, with his forced smiles and tired demeanor). 

As such, Wilbur was seen less with the two boys he was seen babysitting back when Bad first moved to live in town, which left Tommy and Tubbo to run about wild and free. It had resulted in many pranks going awry, and when not alone they were always tagging along annoying another kid much older than them, such as Schlatt, Quackity, or anyone else they could spot. The two tended to avoid Bad because of his constant scolding for Tommy's foul mouth, but Tubbo was kind enough to, if he spotted him, wave as a greeting. 

Eret and Puffy, two skilled swordfighters that evolved from playing with wooden sticks to using actual metal that could cut with ease, were working their way into becoming guards with a few of their friends. Bad always enjoyed talking with them when he saw them patrolling the town, even if Puffy was a little exhausting considering her penchant to meddle in Bad's "love" life. 

They all weren't the only ones other, the town, in general, growing less wary of Bad as the years went on. More people would nod at him as hello when he went out, and old grannies would pinch his arm if he assisted them with carrying bags or crossing the street. The odd jobs Bad had taken around town turned into a more stable job as a mercenary, fighting monsters and finding missing items for cash alongside others such as Punz, who was now in his later teens and who became more reclusive as time went on, or Ponk, who worked part-time on the side as a tree caregiver and liked growing fruit. They, along with Puffy and Eret, were the people Bad considered closest to being his friends. 

As the town grew more accepting of his presence, especially considering his job was protecting the town, Bad noticed that Sapnap's closest friends also began to trust him more as well. Or rather, one friend, in particular, grew more trusting of him. Quackity, the name brought a twitch of a frown to Bad's lips, was already a tad too accepting, and Dream seemed to care less about how dangerous Bad could've been from the get-go, more interested in his own excitement than being wary. No, the one who seemed to grew more relaxed around Bad was George. Ever since their first dinner together the trio came over frequently to hang out upstairs making the floors creak and walls shake on occasion, and this meant that George spent more time with Bad by the association of it being his house. It was as fascinating as it was relieving to watch George go from closed off and cold towards him to, while still stiff, more welcoming. George had even gotten to the point of saying hello to him when Sapnap wasn't around and Bad was out shopping one day. It had filled the demon with a certain amount of pride, especially when he was able to greet George back and not get a frown in response.

Altogether, the fact that Bad was a part of the community and had a solid place he regarded as a home was something that pushed the demon to tears more than once. It caused him to ache with the same warmth he felt when he first found Sapnap, when Sapnap called him dad, when Sapnap admitted placing the utmost trust in him, the feeling of love. It was a feeling he hardly experienced when living with the demon clan for decades, but a welcome one. 

But, the lack of this feeling meant Bad never learned a lot of things; never learned that love was proud, that it was cold just as it was warm, and that it could bring a lesser man to his knees the same way it could rise the lowest from the dirty floors of contempt. No one ever told him love could hurt, the same way it could heal.

* * *

Sapnap would be turning 15 in a few months, Bad grew worried with how frequently the boy was leaving the house when Bad came home from work. It was cold outside, not extremely mind you, but much colder than it ever was in the nether. Bad would bundle up with more layers than normal before leaving in the early morning hours to fend off the last of the monsters outside, his hot breath escaping in puffs that looked like fog. Sapnap was much the same way, even in their warm home curling up by the fireplace and draping the heaviest blankets he could find over his newly broadened shoulders. 

Early January, that was what Bad was reminded of when he looked at the calendar by the front entrance. Frost nipped at the heels of those who walked outside, the barest amount of ice hanging off the edges of wells and water barrels outside. It was already cold, to Bad at least, during the normal seasons, but this was so much worse. He felt the need to be constantly moving when outside for fear of freezing. 

This is why Bad was worried about how frequently Sapnap left. George and Dream were over more and more when Bad was out, and the three would leave just minutes after the demon returned home. With it so cold out, Bad couldn't help but feel nervous at how his son was faring. The three were especially energetic, sure, but he would watch as every afternoon the black-haired boy would escape with friends in toe, arms bare and feet only covered with oddly checkerboarded shoes, no socks in sight. 

Or maybe his nerves were doubled thanks to just how frequent the boy was leaving. Almost every day he'd be out, hanging out with his best friends. George and Dream weren't odd occurrences, but over the years all three had grown used to staying at Bad's home half the week playing upstairs or talking in hushed tones. The noise was welcoming and comforting, the quiet less. It was an ever-constant hum with them, a background to keep the demon's mind at ease. Without them there, the entire space was eerily silent. For them to be outside so much was strange, something that nestled a deep sense of unease in Bad. 

Loneliness. 

It always started and ended the same. Bad would come home, shivering off the last chills of the cold and shake away the coat wrapped around his arms, hanging it up on the rack beside the door. He would kick one foot back, the thud of the entrance shutting and clicking meaningfully. The demon would slip off his boots one by one and tug his gloves off after setting down his axe and slinging the sword off his back. Once situated, Bad would stretch, and just as he fumbled his way to the doorway to the kitchen he would hear the boys upstairs start shuffling, the first noise from them since he got inside. He would barely step one foot outside the entrance hall before the thunder of footsteps on the stairs started up, and by the time he turns around there Sapnap would be, at the foot of the stairs.

"Dad!" He'd call, not bothering to look back to see Bad standing there, meanwhile, George and Dream would give him a nod and a wave each respectively. "We're heading out now!" His hand on the doorknob, and with an easy turn and tug the door would open.

"Be back before dinner!" Bad say, and then George and Dream would turn away from him. Sapnap would hum, or raise a hand, or nod, something to show he heard before he was gone from sight with his two friends following after him. The door would click again, shut once more, the only thing left behind being the wave of jitters that would hit Bad 5 seconds later. 

It happened again that day, and once Sapnap was out the door Bad's carefully crafted smile and fatherly patience fell, a frown dipping his lips and stomach twisting in large knots the longer he stared at the oak of the exit to his home. Was it selfish of him to be worried about Sapnap and want him home more? Maybe, he wasn't entirely sure. He was tempted to ask his friends about it, but whenever he tested the thought in his mind it went horribly. Punz was just a teenager, a mature teenager, sure, but a teenager none the less, and Ponk wasn't the best with advice that came to caring for kids considering he had a grudge against most of them since Tommy was let off the reigns by Wilbur and nearly burnt down the entire orchard. Eret and Puffy were generally more preoccupied as it was, and they were even younger than Punz on top of working their way up in the guard ranks. All in all, Bad didn't have many people he could turn to, or at least no one he'd feel comfortable with discussing his son with. 

Bad sighed as he leaned against the doorframe, digging the heel of his palm into one of his eyes as he took a few deep breaths. His hand pushed into his hair, gripping at the strands as his eyes fell shut and his mind whirled to no avail. What could he do? Asking Sapnap felt awkward and disingenuous. He didn't want to force the boy to stay home, but he was worried for his safety as much as he was worried he had done something wrong. Had he done something wrong? Sapnap had seemed to grow more withdrawn as of late, even outside of leaving more and more frequently, fewer stories being spilled at dinner and fewer jokes about how Sapnap's friends interacted told at all. Maybe he was just used to Sapnap being blunt, forthright and open about everything, and this change in attitude was messing with his head.

Either way, Bad felt guilty. Even if he hadn't done anything wrong he wasn't entirely sure how to help, much less broach the subject of Sapnap seeming "off". 

Bad sighed again, even louder this time as he dragged his hand back down his face and groaned before pushing himself away from the frame he had latched onto. Reluctantly, he trudged into the kitchen, forcing himself to think about making lunch for one. 

Maybe after some food he'd be able to come up with a solution. At least, that's what Bad hoped he'd find.

* * *

Something filled Bad with a sick sense of dread as he approached the bar. After eating a very bland lunch, Bad found himself sitting around unproductively. This wasn't for a lack of trying, though. He had tried to preoccupy himself when he realized sitting around thinking and waiting hadn't gotten himself anywhere; trying to water his mushroom farm downstairs and ending up drowning them when his mind began to wander back to Sapnap, trying to read and realizing after a good 10 minutes that he had sat there unblinking and barely even scanning over the words the moment he thought of how he used to read stories to Sapnap and was sent spiraling, even wandering around outside which was usually done to clear his head ended up with him looking around as if hoping to catch a glimpse of his son in the shadows only to disappoint himself. 

So, this was his last resort. Going to a bar. 

Bad was embarrassed to admit to some of his friends, when asked, that no he had never been to a human bar. The embarrassment mostly came from not understanding what a bar was, and it came as something almost like a shock to his friends when he had explained this. Puffy was quick to encourage him to try it out, leaving a few too many hints about finding someone special for his comfort. He didn't understand the concept fully, either, but the basic terms laid out to him was that a bar was a great social experience where you could meet new people and "drink". 

From this, Bad figured if there was going to be any way to distract himself it'd be by going to a bar, but the longer he stared at the dark oak outsides and the stained glass windows the more his stomach swirled. He wanted to vomit. An itch in the back of his mind told him that going inside was a bad idea, but he pushed himself forward nonetheless until he was just outside. Bad could already hear the low bass from a block away, but now standing directly next to the building he could hear every beat of the music coming from the bar as if he was standing next to the radio in his kitchen. The demon could only imagine how loud it was in the bar itself, nerves only edging higher as he swallowed thickly and pushed a hand against the heavy metal door. With a click, it opened, more noise pouring out like a faucet and filling the tall male's ears as he ducked down to slip inside.

The instant his eyes met the scene of the bar, Bad was overwhelmed. There were color-changing lights, dark shadows cast about, tens of people moving about at random between tables or in the corner dancing, and the music only seemed to grow louder the longer Bad stood in place. His eyes scanned about for a place of sanctuary, relief sweeping through the demon the instant his eyes landed on a stretch of counter on the far left. The lights cast an orange glow, the wooden surface shiny as a towel was rubbed across it by a man with dirty blonde hair who stood in front of 3 large shelves stocked with bottles and glasses. Before Bad even registered it, his feet were guiding him towards the counter, weaving through the people bustling about. Laughter was lost in the thudding music, loud talking seeming like background noise to the beat as Bad slipped up beside the counter. He eyed some of the stools warily before shuffling awkwardly to sit down in one of the shorter ones. 

Bad tugged on his hoodie, dulled nails tracing over some of the red decals as he looked at the frankly excessive amount of labeled glass jars. It was only when someone cleared their throat that Bad jolted, looking down to see the blond man from earlier smiling at him, and it was then that Bad noticed the ruffled black wings on his back as they spread open. Once he realized he was staring, however, Bad shook himself and returned the shorter male's smile.

"Ah, hi," He managed, and the blond bartender nodded once. The man flicked his wrist, the towel he had been using to clean the counter resting on his shoulder before he pushed up the sleeves of his robes. 

"'ey, mate, what can I get for ya'?" The man said, accent thick as he gave a nod back to the shelves behind him. "I saw ya' staring pretty hard at the liquor, so I suppose you'll be wanting som'a'that?" Without waiting, the man grabbed a tall glass, taking a scoop and shoveling some ice into the cup as Bad sat up straighter.

"Oh! Well, just some water, for now, if that's alright? I've never really been to one of these places before!" Bad divulged, watching as the man in front of him paused for a moment before shrugging and shuffling around a bit. Bad grew distracted by his wings once more, watching as they preened themselves back when the man moved about before they folded in on themselves and the demon heard the clink of glass on the counter and ice. Bad looked back at the man's face to watch as he pushed the water towards him, feeling sheepish when the bartender chuckled.

"What? I'd've thought a demon like you'd've seen wings before, huh?" The blond teased, and Bad let out his own chuckle as he shrugged. 

"Ah, only on the small animals up here, really," He admitted, watching the other raise an eyebrow that prompted him to continue. "I haven't been up here long, is all. A little over half a decade. My son likes it, though." 

As he spoke, Bad found himself leaning a bit against the counter, forearms resting against the cool wood. Before he could dwell on his thoughts of Sapnap, the bartender hummed and nodded, easily silencing his head as he spoke.

"Surprisingly short, yeah? I thought all you demons were outta the nether up here on the surface a few decades ago. Makes sense, though, if you got'ta son you wer' taking care of."

Bad hummed, shrugging. "You got any kids?"

The bartender grinned at the question. "Any? I got three, as it were. All adopted, a'course, but they're mine. Might as well count them as four, really, with how of'en one of 'em is around," As he said it he let out a slight laugh, to which Bad couldn't help but join along with.

"I get that, mines adopted too," If you could call it adoption, considering the boy was left abandoned in the nether. Before Bad could say much else a whistle was heard, both men looking down the bar at the same time at two brown-haired males, one of whom was waving. 

"Hey, Phil! Can we get a drink?" One in a green and orange shirt called, and the blond man Bad had been talking to, presumably Phil, scoffed. 

"A'course! What, you think I'd skip on the chance for a tip from you lot?" He asked, wings spreading a bit before he turned to Bad one final time with a light smile. "Sorry, mate, duty calls an' all that! If you need another water, or something a bi' stronger later on, call my name and I'll come'ta serve ya'!" With those words, he was gone, down at the other end of the counter in an instant and chatting with the two men nudging each other back and forth. 

Bad swallowed, glancing down at his cup of water before scooping it up and taking a tentative sip. Water. It was just water. The demon swallowed, setting the glass down again and letting the click of ice reverberate around in his mind before he was looking out at the crowd of people at tables and dancing. It was still just as much of a mess as when Bad had walked in, if not even more so, and just as overwhelming. The place smelled of smoke and a strange bitter tang Bad wasn't used to, and as he hurried to take another sip of water he realized what a poor job the place was doing to distract him from his son. 

The first person he talked to, and he mentioned Sapnap almost instantly. It was nice to bond with someone else with kids, albeit temporarily (and a small part of Bad clung to the glimmer of hope that maybe Phil would know what the hell he was doing with his kids so Bad could learn by proxy), but the demon's intent with coming to the bar was to ignore thoughts of his son. To pretend for at least a little bit that it was all fine, and he wasn't worried. Bad sighed around another sip of water, something he had realized he was beginning to do quite frequently as of late. 

The next person, Bad promised himself, the next person he would talk to without bringing Sapnap up. 

* * *

Bad was considering going home for the night when he saw  _ him _ . After a few hours and a few more cups of water Bad was left with still only having interacted with Phil for the most part. Anyone else he spotted was a brief exchange, a nod or a smile before they were gone again and Bad was still sat hunched in his tiny stool over the wooden countertop. He was still caught up in his head, mind whirling as he glanced at the clock in the corner and bit his carefully trimmed claws thinking about how cold it was outside. He had long since shed his coat, overheating in the warm bar with the water doing nothing to cool him down.

One throw-in of the towel, and he could be curled up on the couch at home moping as he waited for Sapnap to return so he could make dinner for them both. But for some reason he couldn't force himself to stand just yet, shaking the glass in his hand and watching with a frown at the ice clinking about inside. Bad was miserable.

But then he caught that glint, the shine of something out of the corner of his eye that caused him to blink rapidly and break himself from his moping. He sat up straighter, back aching after being hunched over for hours at that point, and looked around hoping to see the glint again. When he did, he paused, soaking in the sight of the man in view. His giant coat was partially covering his mouth, the fat zipper brushing against his upper lip as he waved his hand about. When he tilted his chin, Bad could see his bright red tongue poking out from his mouth, eyebrows furrowed in frustration. Another glint caught his eye, still coming from the man before him, and Bad realized he was staring at someone entirely made of crystal. 

He was reminded of the gemstone he found so long ago in the nether when looking for scraps of the surface, the polished blue matching the skin(?) of the man before him. It was breathtaking, the way the man moved making him glitter under the gross, orange lights of the bar, and neon flashes from the dancing crowd. When Bad looked around he was shocked to find no one else staring at the man, instead continuing to go about their business as usual without so much as a glance at the sparkling mass standing on his toes and waving. 

Bad swallowed his nerves, glancing away from the crystal man towards Phil, who was busy cleaning some of the glasses he had scooped up from abandoned tables. Steeling himself, Bad cleared his throat and pushed his water glass away. "Phil," He managed, watching as the blond bartender paused, wings ruffling before he looked up and smiled. 

"Ah, yeah, mate? Sorry, I was thinkin' about somethin' and might've missed what you were saying?" 

Bad could feel his stomach lurch, out of the corner of his eye seeing the crystal man at the edge of the bar look even more frustrated. Quickly, Bad shook his head before shakily pointing in the direction of the blue man, placating grin on his lips. "No, no," He murmured. "He, uhm, the man down there has been trying to get your attention." 

Phil looked over towards the glittering man as Bad said it, surprise flitting in his eyes briefly before he hummed. "Ah, thanks, mate!" He said, setting down the glass he had been cleaning. Before he left, though, he paused, looking at Bad directly. Bad jolted, his hands falling as he was stared at. Phil smirked. 

"I'll be right back, mate."

He said it firmly, and before Bad could register the words, much less even ask Phil what he meant, he was walking away. Bad opened his mouth before it fell shut when he saw the crystal man's furrowed brows and frown morph into a look of surprise as Phil approached, and that was when he turned his head. Bad's breath caught in his throat at the sight of the crystal man looking towards him, and he scrambled to look back at his drink and take a quick drink to save himself from embarrassment.

He wasn't sure why he was so nervous, seeing as he was there to interact with people in the first place. Bad didn't even necessarily consider himself awkward when it came to interacting with others, befriendment in his bones and the want to talk to the crystal man nagging at him the moment he saw him. But the idea of actively approaching the other made his stomach flip, the sense of anticipation Bad first felt when walking into the bar growing tenfold even when he was sure the other man's eyes were off him. 

Luckily, Bad was saved from the active thought of approaching the other. Unluckily, or also luckily depending on who you asked, it was because the other male was the one to approach Bad first.

"Hey?" Bad nearly choked on his water at the new voice, quickly setting down the glass in his hand as he tried to swallow down the liquid in his throat without looking like a complete idiot. Throat stinging, he looked over, and the demon's heart practically froze in his chest at the sight of the short man staring up at him. The crystal man shifted from foot to foot awkwardly, tongue still poking out as he glanced to the stool beside Bad before looking back up at the demon once more.

Bad finally got the hint after a brief moment, flashing a nervous smile as he nodded a bit. It seemed to cause the other to relax, his shoulders slumping as he returned the nod before pulling out the stool and clambering up to sit beside the demon. Once situated, Bad noticed Phil still smirking when he passed by them, placing two drinks on the counter as he went and snatching Bad's glass up on the way. Before Bad could protest Phil was gone again, and the demon was left alone with the crystal man beside him.

Bad heard the other clear their throat, instantly looking over and feeling his heart thud wildly when one of the two glasses was pushed over to him by the shorter male. The crystal man picked up the remaining glass, taking a quick sip, and Bad hurried to follow. The glass was full of a brown liquid, and the instant it touched his tongue he recoiled slightly, only to hear a snort from the man beside him. 

"Phil didn't lie, huh? You really can't handle liquor," The man said before another sip of his glass, causing Bad to frown (or pout, as the man beside him would claim later that night). 

"I've never had it before," The demon said indignantly, nearly missing the way the other paused at the sound of his voice. Bad felt his stomach flip as the crystal man's eyes turned on him again before the man snorted once more, the snort turning into a short giggle from there. 

"Oh, wow," He said, drawing out the second word as he leaned closer to the bar. "I expected your voice to be, like,  _ way _ deeper if I'm honest. I think the whole demon thing threw me off." 

It didn't sound malicious, more just factual, and it caused Bad to let out his own snort as he took another sip of the drink in front of him, the foul taste easily ignored as he spoke. 

"You're a lot more laid back than I'd thought you'd be," He murmured. It was true. The only thing that gave hints to the casual demeanor was the frumpy outfit the other wore, but the expression on his face had given Bad the impression he'd be stern and tough to crack. He couldn't have been more wrong, as evident by the way the other snickered freely. It made the demon crack a smile.

"What? You're so lying," The blue boy sniffed with a large grin, tongue poking out between his teeth. "You're the uptight one, out of the two of us, I bet on it!"

Bad felt as though he should be offended, but instead felt a warm ache spread through him as he watched the other set down his glass and stare challengingly. "Oh no I am not, I'm so fun you have no idea!" The demon found himself saying without thinking. 

The other started giggling again. "I bet you, like... get uppity about rules and shit, dude, there's no way you're laidback!"

"Language," Bad said without missing a beat, warmth gathering in his cheeks when the giggles turned into full-blown laughter, the crystal man beside him doubling over on the counter with shaking shoulders.

"That's exactly what I mean!" The man goaded, reaching over to nudge Bad, the first time the demon was touched by him but not the last for that night by far. "I bet I can drink more than you, too, no doubt!" He said it with a mischievous grin, one that should've been a warning sign but instead only egged the demon onward.

"I bet I can drink more than you, easily," He snipped, smirk proud as the other's eyes flashed with intrigue.

"Fine, if I win you have to... do karaoke with me!"

Bad blinked, his confidence faltering for only a moment before he set down his glance and grinned.  "Alright, and if I win you have to tell me your name!" 

The other scoffed.  "Lame, I'll just tell you it now, dude!"

"No way, that ruins the bet!"

The other groaned, but didn't seem too genuinely upset. Instead, he scooped up his glass and chugged half of it down in one go, slamming it down with a crooked smile once he swallowed. Bad felt intimidated, if for a moment, until the crystal man spoke proudly.  "Guess I'll start picking out what song we'll sing now, then!"

It fuelled Bad with a drive he never knew he had, chest burning with the same fire it did when Sapnap clung to his hand or hugged him.

"Oh, you're  _ so _ on."

* * *

It only took another 30 minutes for Bad to tap out, with the man beside him snickering all the while. The demon's mouth tasted awful, neck feeling warm and chest still aching. The crystal male, however, seemed just as unaffected by the alcohol as he had 30 minutes ago, mouth twisted into a smile clearly trying to hold back laughter.

"That was so not fair!" Bad managed to whine, mock glaring at the other when he let out a little giggle. "Come on, it's not! We had the same amount of drinks, why are you so, like... normal?"

The other seemed to freeze, lips wiggling before he buried his face in the crook of his jacket. His shoulders began to shake wildly before he was laughing, loud and free. It made Bad sit up straighter, eyes wide as he watched the other squirm with uninhibited glee.

"What? What?" Bad asked repeatedly, reaching out to tug on one of the baggy sleeves of his drinking partner's coat. "C'mon this isn't even funny, why are you laughing?" 

The other slowly calmed down, not entirely but just enough to stifle some of the giggles pouring out of him. When he looked up his eyes were full of mirth, hands gripping tight to the edge of the counter.

"You really wanna know?" He asked, pure delight at the idea dancing around on his face for all to see. Bad nearly whined again, instead huffing as he nodded firmly.

It was all the other needed to grin deviously.

"I'm a gem hybrid, dude, I can't get drunk even if I tried!"

It took a few seconds for the information to sink in, and the look of horror on Bad's face was all it took for the boy to shriek with laughter once more and slam one of his hands on the counter in front of them.

"What?" Bad near shouted, not even noticing the few people that glanced their way before he was grabbing the other's shoulder and shaking him slightly. "No, no way, you can't be serious right now? Oh you... you  _ muffin _ !"

"Muffin?" The crystal man wheezed out incredulously, and Bad groaned in frustration.

"Yes,  _ muffin _ ! You're so mean, playing a trick like that on someone who's never drank before!"

The other continued to giggle for a while, and Bad could feel himself frowning as he huffed and took another swig of the melted ice in his glass. Once the man calmed down he nudged Bad again, and when the demon looked up he could see him smiling.

"Skeppy."

Bad paused, tilting his head and opening his mouth to speak when the other nudged him again with an even wider smile. 

"Its my name, dummy," He brushed off easily, not bothering to look at Bad as he processed the words. Instead, the crystal man made a grasp for his own glass and took a sip of his drink. "I wasn't actually going to make you do kareoke, I knew you'd lose from the beginning."

"I'll do it," Bad blurted, watching the other- no- Skeppy pause and raise an eyebrow at him. Bad set down his cup with a grin. "It actually sounds kind of fun, y'know?" 

Skeppy regarded this response, staring at the demon for a bit longer before mirroring his grin and sticking his tongue out at him further. "Well, if you're sure," He said with a shrug, but with the way his eyes glittered Bad could tell he was genuinely happy about the offer.

"Bad."

Skeppy looked up again with a hum, and Bad shrugged.

"It's my name."

Silence.

"That's such a lame name, you gotta be pulling my leg.  _ Bad _ ?"

"Oh like your name is any better, Skeppy! What kind of name is  _ Skeppy _ anyway?"

* * *

Bad learned a lot that night. Bad learned more about Skeppy being a crystal hybrid, that he worked in the mines underground and scrounged for resources for the town during the day, and that Skeppy had come to the bar at his friend's insistence, the two who dragged him there being the same two men Bad had saw earlier that night asking Phil for a drink right after the demon got his first glass of water. Bad learned that Skeppy was the rarest type of crystal hybrid, made of diamond, and that he was fragile compared to pure crystal creatures because of being part human. Bad ended up learning a lot about Skeppy in the few hours they spent together, and in return, Skeppy learned a lot about Bad.

Something neither of them counted on, however, was the thing they both learned that night before Bad went home.

* * *

"It's been a long time since I've seen a demon," Skeppy admitted easily as he leaned his side against the bar, elbow, and hand propping up his chin as he stared at Bad with a smile. The demon swallowed his mouthful of water as he said it, setting down the glass with a hum as he thought over how to respond. 

"I actually haven't seen any since I've gotten to the surface," Bad admitted, nails clinking against the side of his cup as he pursed his lips. "I dunno, I guess it's a bit odd."

"Odd?" Skeppy murmured, pausing and furrowing his eyebrows. Bad nodded, picking up his glass again to take another careful sip.

"Mhm, I expected to see more of them, at least one or two," The demon mumbled against the lip of his cup and sipped again, staring at the clock on the wall absentmindedly. "But it's been over 5 years, not a single sign of them outside of the ruined portal in the forest I came through."

A silence grew between them, and if Bad was a smarter man he would've noticed how tense Skeppy had gotten when he spoke. He would've noticed Phil's concerned glance towards them when Skeppy cleared his throat. He would've realized that the dread he felt earlier that night wasn't to be ignored when a gentle, small hand rested on his upper arm.

"Bad," Skeppy said cautiously, and when he paused Bad finally looked over to him to notice how carefully he seemed to be picking out his words. His head felt fuzzy as he saw the other frown, something he hadn't seen since the first time he saw him come up to the bar. "Do you know... anything about what might've happened on the surface a decade or so ago?"

Bad smiled, an odd chill encroaching on the warm buzz he had been feeling the entire night up until that point, his stomach feeling void and hands clammy.

Apparently, his silence was enough, and a sudden look of grief struck the crystal hybrid's face. Skeppy swallowed, the noise audible despite the constant thudding in Bad's ears. 

"Bad, did you know there was a war on the surface a decade ago?"

* * *

Bad stumbled his way home despite the cold chill. He hadn't bothered to grab his coat on his way out, something he regretted deeply, and his excuses felt hurried and rushed. He had to get home, he said without pause or bothering to listen to Skeppy's attempts to get him to stay, my son is going to be home soon.

It wasn't a lie, as it was around 9:00pm. They usually had dinner at this time, but when Bad stumbled through the door, home much later than he should've been, Sapnap was nowhere to be seen. A part of Bad knew he should be worried, utterly terrified maybe that Sapnap wasn't even home when he usually was at least an hour before now, but everything felt blurred and out of focus. Bad kicked his shoes off in haste, hearing them tumble and fall to the floor and uncaring to watch them. He didn't bother taking off his gloves, hazy as he made way for the stairs and went up them one at a time with an extraordinary amount of effort needed to do so. By the time he reached the top he was leaning against the support wall next to the steps and clinging onto the railing. 

He continued to lean against the wall as he made his way for his room at the end of the hall, passing by Sapnap's open and empty bedroom and other closed doors on the way. Once he slipped into his own room he tugged the door shut, heavy breaths lodged in his throat. He forcibly pushed himself off of the oak door, taking a few wobbly steps towards his bed before flopping onto it with a hiccup. He felt awful, absolutely awful, in part because of the alcohol and in part because of everything else. 

The demon curled up, hands absentmindedly tugging at the sheets until they were twisted and wrapped around him. With a shaky breath, Bad buried his face into one of the blankets closest to him, cheek nuzzling into his old pillow when his eyes squeezed shut.

He was fine.

Even as he continued to lay there for another hour, wide awake and feeling cold under all of the blankets, he was fine. Even as he finally heard the front door downstairs creak open and tiny footsteps make their way upstairs, he was fine. Even as the footsteps continued down the hall, stopped in front of his bedroom, and the door opened a sliver judging by how the hinges squeaked, he was fine. 

When the door shut again the demon forced himself to believe it, when the bed of the room next door rustled he continued to repeat the thought over and over in his mind.

When the silence of the night took over again, Bad finally let himself breathe.

He is fine.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thinking about making more stories in the same vein as this one in the sense that it all takes place in the same kind of world I've built up in this story, but they focus around other characters such as Dream, George, Schlatt, Tubbo, ect. If you have any opinions on this lmk in the comments, I'll gladly hear them out!
> 
> Comments, kudos, or any sort of critique is appreciated as always and I hope you all have a wonderful day!

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed! Any kudos, comments or critiques are appreciated so feel free to leave some!


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